Band
Steven Davis
Steven D. Davis has inspired ensembles around the world and is celebrated as a conductor of wind ensembles, orchestras, opera, ballet, and new music ensembles. In addition to conducting symphonic repertoire of significant composers, Davis is fervently committed to initiating and performing new repertoire written by both emerging and acclaimed living composers, with intentional focus placed on collaborating with diverse artists. Praise stems from Chen Yi, John Corigliano, Michael Daugherty, Roshanne Etezady, Jennifer Higdon, Narong Prangcharoen, Ingrid Stölzel, and Zhou Long, amongst countless others.
Davis currently serves as the Rose Ann Carr Millsap Missouri Distinguished Professor of Music and Professor of Conducting at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory. He leads the Symphony Orchestra of the Youth Symphony of Kansas City, and spends his summers conducting at the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp, where he serves as director of the wind ensemble program. Recent and upcoming events include leading performances at Carnegie Hall and the Musikverein in Vienna. Davis also leads the annual Kansas City Conducting Symposium, which draws nationally acclaimed clinicians, speakers, and participants from around the country. He also serves as the artistic director and coordinator for the Interlochen Band Director Institute that will debut in the summer of 2023 during the Interlochen Arts Camp.
Orchestra
Matthew Kasper
Known for his passionate and refined performances across the American, Ballet, and Classical repertoire, American conductor Matthew Kasper has become a fixture in the artistic communities wherever he has made his mark. His unique ability to bridge the American music of the last century with its traditional European roots grants him a wide-ranging repertoire, with a particular devotion to elevating the works of composers such as Ives, Shostakovich, Weill, Copland, and Jessie Montgomery, among others.
Kasper’s versatility has been on full display through a diverse array of programs during his tenure as Assistant and then Resident Conductor of The Phoenix Symphony from 2015 to 2023. Over the course of more than 250 performances, encompassing subscription series, pops concerts, educational initiatives, chamber orchestra performances, and family concerts, he has cemented his presence among audiences in and around Phoenix. Some notable highlights from his time include mesmerizing renditions of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Ives’ Second Symphony, Handel’s Messiah, and a two-year stint as conductor for the prestigious Bösendorfer Piano Competition. In recognition of his indelible impact on the community and his ability to deliver dynamic and emotionally resonant performances, Kasper was promoted from Assistant to Resident Conductor by the orchestra in 2018.
Beyond Phoenix, Kasper’s fervent and enduring performances, coupled with his ability to connect with diverse communities, have garnered recognition. In 2020, the Solti Foundation U.S. bestowed upon him a prestigious Career Assistance award. He has also been sought after for guest conductor roles and cover-conducting appearances across the United States, Asia, and Europe. Recent seasons have seen Matthew working with the
Rochester Philharmonic, Tucson Symphony, Evergreen Symphony in Taiwan, San Diego Symphony, Colorado Symphony, and the Cleveland Orchestra. Additionally, Kasper has worked with the Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy, Opera National de Lorraine, Queens Symphony Orchestra, The Phoenix Symphony, and the Salt River Ballet. The current season’s highlights include a return to The Phoenix Symphony, multiple appearances with Arizona Musicfest, and debuts with the Milwaukee Ballet and New York City Ballet.
Equally at ease in the orchestra pit as he is on the concert stage, Kasper recently ascended to the position of Principal Conductor of Ballet Arizona, a remarkable achievement made possible by his remarkable talent. This honor followed his last-minute rehearsal and successful direction of two productions for the company, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and Prokofiev’s demanding Romeo and Juliet, during the 21-22 season. This historic appointment marks the first time in the company’s history that they have named a Principal Conductor, a testament to Kasper’s artistic prowess and his immediate impact on the institution. As an opera conductor, Kasper excels in both the standard repertoire and new works, contributing to many acclaimed productions in the U.S. and abroad. His portfolio includes world premiere productions of operas by Gerald Barry and Bruce Saylor, as well as memorable performances of classics like Mozart’s Magic Flute, Puccini’s Sour Angelica, Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, Britten’s Owen Wingrave, Bernstein’s Candide, and more.
Dedicated to expanding access to music education for children in the United States, Kasper has held the role of Artistic and General Director of the Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestras since 2020. During his tenure, he has worked diligently to forge meaningful collaborations for the benefit of the organization’s young musicians. These initiatives include a conducting fellowship with Arizona State University, full ballet productions in partnership with the Ballet Arizona School featuring Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty, masterclasses, and coaching sessions with musicians from the Phoenix Chamber Music Society, among others. Matthew Kasper strongly believes that music should be accessible to all children and continues to build relationships to make this vision a reality in Phoenix.
In addition to his conducting career, Kasper is an accomplished violinist. He was a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra and holds degrees in violin performance from Queens College’s Aaron Copland School of Music, where he studied under Burton Kaplan, and the Chicago College of Performing Arts, where Shmuel Ashkenasi was his teacher. His chamber music training includes instruction from Marcy Rosen, Daniel Phillips, Robert Chen, and Roger Chase. Furthermore, Kasper holds a Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from Queens College’s Aaron Copland School of Music, where he was a scholarship recipient under the mentorship of Maurice Peress. He also pursued additional conducting studies as a scholarship student at the prestigious Pierre Monteux School for Conductors, with Michael Jinbo as his principal teacher.
Originally hailing from Madison, Wisconsin, Matthew Kasper currently resides in Phoenix with his wife Rebecca and their son, two daughters and their beloved golden retrievers.
Jazz Ensemble
Michele Fernández
Michele Fernández is a published composer/arranger, active clinician/guest conductor, educator and performer, as well as a member of Phi Beta Mu (Omega Chapter). Her works for both Jazz and Wind Ensemble are represented by various publishers including Hal Leonard, Excelcia, Doug Beach/Kendor and Murphy Music Press, Print MS, as well as her own company Michele Fernández/GiraSoul Music, and have been performed (as well as clinics presented) at Midwest, CBDNA, JEN, IAJE, various MEA’s All-State/Regional bands. Most recently, Michele’s composition, “Of Endless Miles and Empty Rafts,” was the recipient of the 2023 CBDNA Composition Award.
Michele serves ensembles of all ages across the country through virtual or in-person clinics and Artist-in-Residence events. She recently retired from teaching after 30 years, where her Miami HS ensembles earned top honors and gained international acclaim despite being a Title One school with minimal resources. Her groups have been selected for appearances at the Midwest Clinic (Chicago ’93 & ’98), IAJE (Boston ’94, NY ’97), Montreux Jazz Fest (Switzerland ’96), FMEA and national publications. Michele has featured on “CBS Sunday Morning”, Band Director’s Guide and Downbeat Magazine. She has also taught SPED, ESOL, HS English and Chemistry. Before focusing on writing, she served as an oboist in the Miami area, and spent several years as a rhythm section member of a busy local Afro-Latin/Jazz ensemble. As a composer/clinician: Michele views writing and clinics as an opportunity to discuss important aspects of life, while also focusing on the art form of performance, and in so doing, to help others gain more self-confidence and an increased awareness of compassion for others that will lead to success in all areas of life.
Treble Choir
Julie Yu
Dr. Julie Yu (She/Her/Hers) is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies at the Wanda L. Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University and the Artistic Director of Canterbury Voices.
She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Central Oklahoma, a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Oklahoma State University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of North Texas. Before joining OCU and Canterbury Voices, she taught at Norman North High School in Oklahoma, San José State University, and Kansas State University.
She has given presentations and conducted, and/or her choirs have performed for state and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, DoDEA Europe Honors Music Festival, and the European Music Educators Association. She is a past president of the Southwestern Region of the American Choral Directors Association and served as an International Conducting Exchange Fellow to Kenya.
Her favorite area of research and performance is working as a guest clinician/conductor for various honor choirs and professional organizations.
Mixed Choir
Trent Brown
Dr. Trent R. Brown is Director of Choirs and Professor of Music at Florida Gulf Coast University. He is the founder and Artistic Director of Joyful & Triumphant, an annual holiday concert that reaches thousands of viewers in person and through PBS affiliate broadcast. He also serves as Artistic Director of Choral Artistry, a professional core chorus, and leads them in multiple choral-orchestral performances, collaborative concerts, and educational outreach activities each season.
Under his direction the FGCU Chamber Choir has performed four international tours singing at prestigious venues including Sagrada Familia, St. Stephen’s in Vienna, and St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. The Chamber Choir and Bel Canto have appeared at multiple FL-ACDA conferences. Recent conducting engagements include serving as guest conductor for Coro Nacional del Perú in Lima, Perú (2025), Florida All-State TTBB choir (2025), Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem with FGCU Choirs and Orchestra (2025), Haydn Lord Nelson Mass with Choral Artistry (2025), and festival choirs in Montevideo and Mercedes, Uruguay (2024).
Dr. Brown previously taught public high school in Minnesota and Wisconsin. He is an active member of ACDA, FMEA, Chorus America, and the College Music Society. He holds degrees from The University of Arizona (DMA), University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (MM) and University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire (BME).
