Joshua Gersen recently concluded his tenure as assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic, where he made a subscription debut at just a few hours’ notice. He then conducted his own subscription concert the following season, which included Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story during the Bernstein centennial year.

As an educator, Mr. Gersen has frequently worked at the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Boston University, and Curtis Institute of Music. During his time with the New York Philharmonic, he also conducted Young People’s Concerts and worked extensively with both the Very Young Composers Program and the Harmony Program. Previously, he was music director of the New York Youth Symphony, where he led the orchestra on their first international tour in over 50 seasons.

Mr. Gersen has been closely associated with the New World Symphony, where he acted as assistant conductor to Michael Tilson Thomas. He made his conducting debut with the San Francisco Symphony in October 2013. Other recent guest conducting appearances include the Chicago Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Hannover Opera, New Jersey Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, and the Colorado Music Festival. He is the recipient of a 2015 and 2016 Solti Foundation US Career Assistance Award.

Since 1978, SFGC has provided girls and young women the unique opportunity not only to perform at the highest artistic caliber, but also to develop self-confidence, leadership skills, and an awareness of the role of the arts in civic engagement. SFGC has been recognized through numerous honors including five Grammy Awards, four ASCAP/Chorus America Awards for Adventurous Programming, and in 2002, became the first youth chorus to receive Chorus America’s Margaret Hillis Achievement Award. Under the direction of Valérie Sainte-Agathe, SFGC has achieved an incomparable sound that underscores the unique clarity and force of impeccably trained treble voices fused with expressiveness and drama.

Established by Founding Artistic Director Kevin Fox, the three-time Grammy award-winning Pacific Boychoir Academy (PBA) began as an after-school music program in Oakland, CA. Now comprising more than 160 boys and young men ages four to eighteen, in seven choirs, PBA is the only choir school on the West Coast, where a full academic curriculum is integrated with daily musical instruction for boys grades three through eight. The Day School music program is currently directed by Andrew Brown, Director of Choral Studies, and Marcia Roy, Artistic Program Director. PBA has performed with the Berkeley Symphony, American Bach Soloists, Youth Orchestra of the Americas, Lithuanian State Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Brazil, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, Johannesburg Festival Orchestra, Trinity Lyric Opera, University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club, Harvard Men’s Glee Club, Vienna Boys Choir; and has been heard on the NBC television shows America’s Got Talent and The Blacklist; and has performed with comedian Zach Galifianakis. The choir has toured throughout the US, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, South America, South Africa, China, Russia, and Vietnam. PBA made its SFS debut under Michael Tilson Thomas in September 2002, and is heard with the SFS on Grammy award-winning recordings of Mahler’s Symphonies Nos. 3 and 8. Andrew Brown is currently in his second season as Director of Choral Studies with Pacific Boychoir Academy. He previously spent ten years as an associate director with PBA and two years with the Golden Gate Boychoir. Additionally he is Concert Choir Director of the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir. He recently served as artistic director of the Contra Costa Children’s Choir and the Vallejo Choral Society.

(September 2018)

Ragazzi Boys Chorus is one of the Bay Area’s premier music and performance organizations for boys. Currently serving more than 200 boys from more than 100 schools in more than 30 communities, Ragazzi is the largest boys chorus in the region. Ragazzi means “boys” in Italian, and is the term used in opera to refer to children’s voices.

Ragazzi has performed with the San Francisco Opera, Opera San Jose, Symphony Silicon Valley, and the Stanford University Symphonic Chorus, among others. Ragazzi was honored for its contribution to the San Francisco Symphony’s Grammy Award-winning recording of Stravinsky’s Perséphone, and also produces its own recordings. Under the leadership of Artistic and Executive Director Kent Jue, the group tours internationally to widen chorus members’ cultural and musical horizons and deepen Ragazzi’s reputation for excellence.

Kent Jue, Artistic and Executive Director
Kent Jue is an experienced choral conductor, music educator, and facilitator for lifelong learning in music. An energetic teacher, adjudicator, guest clinician, workshop presenter, and mentor, he is known for building musicianship skills through his engaging style and rapport with students. He has a passion for uncovering the full artistic and expressive potential of individual choristers in an ensemble setting. Mr. Jue conducts Ragazzi’s most accomplished treble singers, Concert Group, and the select tenor and bass Choral Scholars. He has toured extensively with the Ragazzi program and has led Ragazzi choirs to numerous festivals. An avid collaborator, he has prepared ensembles for performances with the San Francisco Symphony, Symphony Silicon Valley, Opera San Jose, and West Bay Opera.