The primary goal of NASO is to seek out and showcase outstanding musical talent and provide talented musicians with the much-coveted chance to perform with a symphony orchestra in New York City. Over the past 35 years, NASO has provided opportunities for dozens of young conductors, many of whom have gone on to prominent positions in the music world. Their talents have been featured in over 120 concerts at some of New York's finest venues, including Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Fordham College at Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, Riverside Church and The Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

The Board appoints a principal conductor following a stringent audition process. Initially, the candidate is invited to be a guest conductor. As a guest conductor, the candidate rehearses for and conducts at least two concerts. All orchestra players are asked to complete and submit a standardized evaluation form in which they can vote in favor of appointing a conductor to the position of principal conductor, inviting the conductor to return as a guest conductor, or not inviting the conductor to return. If a candidate receives outstanding evaluations from a very high percentage of players, and continues to be interested in becoming Principal Conductor, then the Board votes to appoint him/her to that position. Sometimes the consensus of the orchestra members is that a conductor should be appointed principal guest conductor. The Board has appointed guest conductors for a term of up to three years.

How does NASO find guest conductors? If the Board determines that a guest conductor spot may be available for an upcoming season, the manager establishes a Guest Conductor Committee in early spring, comprised of a representative cross-section of orchestra members and chaired by a Board member. The committee reviews DVDs and other materials from guest conductor candidates and then makes recommendations to the Board. The Board then offers distinguished candidates concert opportunities based on scheduling and programming.

Occasionally, funding allows NASO to hire assistant conductors and orchestral assistants to provide support to the orchestra and the conductor. Their duties include library functions, concert week production and assistant conducting, as requested by the conductor.

All principal conductors, principal guest conductors, guest conductors, assistant conductors and orchestral assistants who have worked with NASO are identified below. Most have a website which has been identified so that the reader can determine "where they are now"! Some names are repeated. For example, Alondra de la Parra began as an orchestral assistant, became an assistant conductor, and then principal assistant conductor. She then went on to form her own orchestra - the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas!

We are proud of the accomplishments of all our conductors - from George Manahan at both the New York City Opera and the American Composers Orchestra to Mark Stringer, Professor of Orchestral Conducting at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna to the iconic David Amram to the numerous conductors of regional orchestras and opera companies here and abroad.

Victoria Bond: Music director, 1977-78; 1979-80

George Manahan: Music Director, 1980-82

Principal Guest Conductor 1979-80

Robert Black: Music Director, 1986-93

1950-1993

Kimbo Ishi Eto: Principal Conductor, 1995-97

Guest Conductor 1994-95; 1997-98; 1998-99 seasons

www.kimboishieto.com

Eckart Preu: Principal Conductor, 1999-2001

Guest Conductor, 1998-99; 2002-02 seasons

Jonathan Schiffman Principal Conductor, 2003-07

Guest Conductor, 2001-02; 2002-03 seasons

Guerguan Tsenov: Principal Conductor 2011-present

Guest Conductor, 2009-10 season

Glen Cortese 1993-96 www.glencortese.com

Alondra de la Parra, 2005-06 www.alondradelaparra.com

Matthew Oberstein 2011-present www.matthewoberstein.com

David Amram www.david-amram.blogspot.com

Nicholas Armstrong www.nicholasarmstrong.com

Ankush Bahl www.boleroartists.com

Alan Balter 1945-98

Charles Barker www.linkedin.com/pub/charles.barker/24/719/501

Joseph Bousso www.josephbousso.com

Miriam Burns www.miriamburns.com

Teresa Cheung www.chlartists.com/teresacheung

Glen Cortese www.glencortese.com

Arthur Delmoni [Arturo?? Is he a violinist??]

Jeffrey Domoto

Mark Ettingerwww.markettinger.org

Clifford Gilmore

Charles Gouse 1931-2009

Ming-Feng Hsin www.metoperafamily.org/mingfenghsin

Steven Jarvi www.stevenjarvi.com

Yosei Koide

Vladimir Kulenovic www.vladimirkulenovic.com

Mark Mandarano www.sinfoniettanyc.org

Michael Martin [?? Is he a choral director??]

Matthew Oberstein www.matthewoberstein.com

Helen Cha Pyo www.facebook.com/pages/Helen-Cha-Pyo/106147562749102

Stephen Rogers Radcliffe www.stephenrogersratcliffe.com

Peter Rubardt www.facebook.com/people/PeterRubardt/1368372733

Ronald Schweitzer

Tara Simoncic www.facebook.com/people/TaraSimoncic/532888253

Mark Stringer www.markstringer.com

Viswa Subbaraman www.viswassubbaraman.com

Ki-Sun Sung

Eugene Tzigane www.eugenetzigane.com

Robert Black Assistant Conductors:

Joseph Bousso www.josephbousso.com

Jeffrey Domoto:

Rob Fournier

David Hong [Same as Sung Jin Hong??]

Yoon Jae Lee www.linkedin.com/in/klavier777

Co Nguyan www.redlands.edu

Jennifer Ruffalo www.jruffalo.com

Yaniv Segal www.yanivsegal.com

Gian Philip di Toro www.youtube.com/watch?v=dckOerDVTa8

Scott Jackson Wiley www.scottjacksonwiley.com

Ankush Kumar Bahl www.boleroartists.com, Ankush stepped in for Kurt Masur in his debut with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on January 20 and 22, 2012 at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Ankush stepped in for Maestro Kurt Masur who had to withdraw from his scheduled concerts with the orchestra due to a stomach flu.

Susan Bill

Garrett Keast www.garrettkeast.com

Alondra de la Parra www.alondradelaparra.com

Peter Susser www.music.columbia.edu/people/bios/psusser

Roger Zahab www.rogerzahab.net

Lucia Caruso [Brazilian composer pianist?? If so, www.manhattancameratta.com

Timothy Hanson

Alondra de la Parra www.alondradelaparra.com

Richard Woodbury