Jeffrey Grogan,
Youth Symphony
Conductor
Recently applauded for performances “high in energy, with close attention to ebb and flow,” American conductor Jeffrey Grogan is hailed as a musical leader who “knows what kind of sound he wants from an orchestra,” “rich and vibrant.” His humanistic leadership style, coupled with a strong command of skills as a musical communicator, has earned him an impressive reputation with audiences and music programs throughout the country.
Simon Lipskar,
Youth Orchestra
Conductor
Simon Lipskar is the Conductor of the NJYS Youth Orchestra, having previously conducted the NJYS Philharmonia from 2004 to 2006. He served as Assistant Conductor of the Brooklyn Philharmonic under Robert Spano, as well as for a number of other orchestras and opera companies, including the Bronx Opera, the Sarasota Opera, and the Oakland-East Bay Symphony (under Michael Morgan).
Mark Gunderman,
Philharmonia
Conductor
Mark Gunderman is internationally active as a violinist, educator and conductor. He currently conducts the orchestra at Franklin Middle School and is the assistant conductor to the orchestra at Franklin High School in Somerset, NJ. In addition, he travels frequently to Lisbon, Portugal where he coaches, conducts and gives masterclasses to students at the Academia Nacional Superior de Orquestra.
Cynthia D. Longley,
Sinfonia
Conductor
Cynthia D. Longley, is a string pedagogue, conductor, freelance cellist, and music therapist. Hailed as a cellist of ‘clarity and taste’, she performs regularly with orchestras throughout the state, and made her orchestral debut at Carnegie Hall performing under composer/conductor, John Rutter.
Kristi Gaspari,
Junior & Prep Strings
Conductor
Kristi Gaspari is the conductor of the NJYS Junior Strings and Preparatory String Ensemble [PREP]. She is a dynamic violinist who has performed with the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra, Monmouth Symphony, Rutgers Sinfonia, and as concertmaster for The College of New Jersey Orchestra.
Diana Charos Reilly,
Flute Choir/Forum
Conductor
Ms. Charos Reilly was the private flute instructor and masterclass coach at the Kent Place School in Summit for almost a decade, and was the director of summer programs at Kent Place as well. In 1994 she was appointed flute instructor at the Skidmore Summer Flute Institute at Skidmore College in New York. Diana is a graduate of the Julliard pre-college division and was a student of Brad Garner.
Bryan Rudderow,
Junior Winds
Conductor
Bryan Rudderow is currently NJYS Operations Manager and conductor of the Junior Winds Ensemble (JWE). Bryan has performed on three continents as conductor, composer, and clarinetist; focusing his energy on music composed in his lifetime. He has earned degrees from Montclair State University, John J. Cali School of Music and William Paterson University in Music Education, Performance, Conducting, and Composition/Theory.
Dr. Kenneth Piascik,
Percussion
Conductor
Dr. Kenneth Piascik has always walked to his own beat. Dedicated to performing a wide range of music and providing the best education to students at the university and public school level, he makes for a good story around the campfire.
