Joseph Young joins one of America’s leading orchestras on June 1, 2014
USC School of Music alumnus, Joseph Young, has been named assistant conductor of the prestigious Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO). Young received a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of South Carolina in 2004 and completed his graduate studies in conducting with Gustav Meier and Markand Thakar at the Peabody Conservatory in 2009.
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, currently in its 69th season, is one of America’s leading orchestras and is known for its innovation and world-class musicians.
Young will assist with the artistic leadership of the orchestra and serve as the primary conductor for the ASO’s education and community concerts. He will also assume the role of music director of the Atlanta Youth Symphony Orchestra (ASYO) in the 2014-15 season.
“The School of Music is both proud and excited about the announcement of alumnus Joey Young as Assistant Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony and Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. These two organizations are among America's finest in their respective genres, and are a fitting award for the rocketing career of Joey Young. Maestro Young has demonstrated great skill and musicianship in a variety of locations and position in recent years, just as he did as a student at Carolina. We have no doubt that his success in Atlanta will mirror and exceed his success in Baltimore, Buffalo and Phoenix.” – Tayloe Harding, School of Music Dean
In Young’s role as assistant conductor, he will work with music director Robert Spano, principal guest conductor Donald Runnicles, and other guest conductors in concerts and recording sessions. As the new music director of the ASYO, he will oversee the repertoire selection, auditions, rehearsals, competitions, and the selection and seating of the student players, while working in tandem with the ASO’s education and community engagement department.
Prior to joining the ASO, Young was resident conductor of the Phoenix Symphony, and also spent a season as assistant conductor and a League of American Orchestras Conducting Fellow with the Buffalo Philharmonic.
Young made his professional debut in 2007 as the first recipient of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO)-Peabody Institute Conducting Fellowship and worked with the BSO through 2009. His recent conducting engagements include the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Delaware Symphony Orchestra and Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música.
Other professional accolades include being named a semi-finalist in the 2013 Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition and being featured in the League of American Orchestras's prestigious Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview. He was the first recipient of the Sir Georg Solti Foundation Career Grant for young conductors and furthered his conducting studies at the Cabrillo Contemporary Music Festival, the 2010 Jorma Panula International Master class in Porto, Portugal, and at the Tanglewood Music Center.