In 2015, Matthew Kasper made Phoenix his home, serving in roles with The Phoenix Symphony as the Resident Conductor and with the Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestras (PYSO). He became PYSO’s first-ever Artistic and General Director. In this dual capacity, he guides the organization both artistically and administratively. Since assuming this role, PYSO’s budget has increased and transformative collaborations have been forged with institutions such as the ASU Herberger School of Music, Dance and Theater; SOUNDS Academy; The Phoenix Symphony; The Phoenix Chamber Music Society; and, the School of Ballet Arizona (resulting in the first-ever all youth performance of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake at the Desert Botanical Garden).

Kasper initiated his musical journey on the violin before the allure of conducting became irresistible. Before his tenure in Phoenix, Kasper was on the faculty at the Aaron Copland School of Music, served as the Interim Music Director of the Queens Symphony Orchestra, guest conducted in Europe, and founded the Chicago Composers Orchestra. He is a graduate of the Aaron Copland School of Music and the Chicago College of Performing Arts.

Kasper’s Fellowship plan encompasses a dual focus on artistic and leadership development, along with study of the evolution of youth music programs and the establishment of a dedicated facility for a youth orchestra. He will collaborate with conducting mentors, including Esa-Pekka Salonan, Hannu Lintu, and Jukka-Pekka Saraste, and spend time with Paul Hughes, the former head of the BBC Symphony, and Elena Armijo, founder of the C-Suite Collective. Visits with industry-leading youth music programs include Youth Orchestra Los Angeles, the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras.