staff

Music Director: David Harman
David Harman has been the RPYO’s Music Director and Conductor since 1993. He continues to enjoy a busy and varied career as a symphony conductor, university professor, and popular music educator. Dr. Harman has conducted professional, civic, university, youth, and honor orchestras throughout the United States and abroad.

In addition to his position with the RPYO, Dr. Harman is Professor of Music and Director of Orchestral Activities at the University of Rochester as well as Music Director of the Penfield Symphony Orchestra. Before moving to Rochester, Dr. Harman lived in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was Professor at the University of Louisville and conductor of the University of Louisville Orchestra, of the Louisville Civic Orchestra, and of the Opera Theater Productions. While in Louisville, he served as executive secretary of the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition. He has also held tenured positions at the University of Connecticut and Colorado State University.

A native Californian, Dr. Harman completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees from California State University at Sacramento, receiving scholarships to attend the Paris Conservatory and the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado. He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the Eastman School of Music. Dr. Harman has led an active solo career as a clarinetist with three solo recordings, numerous recital appearances in major concert halls in London and New York, and several national broadcasts recorded for French, British, and American public radio programs. He resides in the City of Rochester with his wife Lori Foster.

Dr. Harman has been recently received honors from two area music associations for his contributions to the musical life of Rochester. In 2005, he was honored by the Monroe County School Music Association as the recipient of its Richard H. Snook Award for significant contributions to music education in the Rochester. This season , the Rochester Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon, an association of professional musicians, has selected Dr. Harman as Rochester's 2007-2008 Musician of the Year in recognition for his enriching the musical life of Rochester through his work with the RPYO, the PSO and the University of Rochester River Campus Orchestras.

RPYO Manager: Susan Basu
Susan Basu has been RPYO Manager on the staff of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra since 1992. She works closely with the Music Director, RPYO Board and Parent Committee in planning and implementing RPYO activities. She is the parent of two RPYO alumni violinists.

RPYO Board of Directors
RPYO policies and operations are overseen by the RPYO Board of Directors, comprised of area music educators, community leaders, RPO musicians and staff, and RPYO parents. Bill Cahn, former RPO Principal Percussionist and founding member of the NEXUS Percussion Ensemble, serves as the current Board Chair. Read more about the RPYO Board of Directors.

RPYO Parent Advisory Committee
The RPYO Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) supports the RPYO in activities such as tours, concert production, music library, newsletter production and publicity, retreat organization, the RPYO Boutique in Eastman Theatre, special events and fund-raising. The current PAC Chairs are Mary Ellen Womack and Bonnie Kramer.