Music Director Search Timeline

Sept. 18, 2021

Kayoko Dan

Dan currently serves as the Music Director of the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, a position she's held since 2011. A versatile conductor, Kayoko Dan is active in the fields of orchestra, ballet, and opera. The Spartanburg Philharmonic was excited to open the MD Search with such an auspicious candidate, welcoming her to the podium for our first concert of the 2021/22 Season. Mar. 5, 2022

Kelly Corcoran

Named “Best Classical Conductor” in 2015 by the Nashville Scene, Kelly Corcoran is a passionate advocate for the robust place of classical music in our lives and the lives of future generations. Corcoran is Artistic Director of Intersection, a contemporary music ensemble dedicated to challenging the traditional concert experience with concerts for all ages. Sept. 24, 2022

Antoine Clark

Award-winning conductor, Antoine T. Clark, has been praised for his engaging stage presence and advocacy for arts education. He has been the assistant conductor at the Gateways Music Festival with the Eastman School of Music since 2017. A supporter of new music, Mr. Clark regularly commissions new works and engages artists to create dynamic programming that inspires, fosters music education, and establishes relationships between artists and communities.

(read more on page 43)

Dec. 10-12, 2021 & Dec. 9-11, 2022 Geneviève Leclair

Geneviève Leclair is an Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music who holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting from Boston University. Leclair also received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in flute performance at Université de Montréal. She has been teaching at Berklee since 2016 and acts as an active guest conductor with organizations across Canada, the U.S., and the UK. Apr. 23, 2022

John Young Shik Concklin

As a conductor, Concklin is praised for his clear beat, strong sense of rhythm, inviting gravitas, and innovative mind. John currently serves as Conductor with the Atlanta Music Project and Piedmont Chamber Orchestra. He was recently appointed Music Director of the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra (beginning fall 2022), and made his return to the Spartanburg Philharmonic after an acclaimed debut in 2018.

Feb. 11, 2023

Nadège Foofat

Conductor, violinist, and violist; Nadège Foofat is an advocate of innovation. Foofat was honored by the League of American Orchestras in 2018 for her experience, talent, leadership potential, and commitment. She earned her Master of Music degree from the Yale University School of Music, and also a Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School in viola performance. Apr. 22, 2023

Jacob Joyce

Jacob Joyce is a young conductor who’s quickly gained recognition as a dynamic and innovative presence on the podium. Joyce studied Orchestral Conducting with Hugh Wolff at the New England Conservatory. He has also received instruction at the Tanglewood Music Center and the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen.

Nov. 5, 2022

Troy Quinn

Troy Quinn is a highly acclaimed musician and conductor who has been applauded for his energetic and riveting, yet sensitive conducting. An advocate for education, Quinn has participated in numerous masterclasses as a conducting fellow, attending conducting institutes at the Royal Academy of Music, Eastman School of Music, and Bard Conservatory of Music.

(read more on page 63) Mar. 25, 2023

Lee Mills

Lee Mills is internationally recognized as a passionate, multifaceted, and energetic conductor. Mills received his Graduate Performance Diploma and Artist’s Diploma in Orchestral Conducting at the Peabody Institute. An avid advocate for the arts, Mills has brought classical music to thousands of new listeners through performances in contrarian settings. May 2023

Stay Tuned!

In May of next year, the Spartanburg Philharmonic will host an event to announce the NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR. Stay tuned for more details...

Learn more: