Elizabeth Askren announced as Director of Yale Symphony Orchestra

After a thorough search process carried out by a diverse committee of faculty and staff from across the University, with input from the members and student leaders of the Yale Symphony Orchestra, lauded conductor Elizabeth Askren has been appointed to be the next Director of the Yale Symphony Orchestra and Associate Professor Adjunct at the Yale School of Music, beginning in the 2025–2026 academic year.

Professor Askren brings with her a wealth of experience as a conductor, educator, and advocate for inclusive excellence in the arts. She is widely recognized for her collaborative spirit, technical command, and a deep commitment to fostering musical growth. Currently Hawai’i Opera Theatre’s first Principal Guest Conductor and a music staff member at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Professor Askren has led performances praised for their clarity, vitality, and expressive depth.

Throughout her career, Professor Askren has demonstrated a strong commitment to mentorship and access in the arts. She is the founder and artistic director of the Transylvanian Opera Academy — Romania’s first opera studio — and the creator of MaestraMagic!, a multi-media edutainment initiative designed to introduce young audiences to the world of classical music. Professor Askren has taught at the Opera national de Paris’ Academy and was the inaugural judge for the Paris Philharmonic’s La Maestra Competition and Academy for women conductors, alongside fellow pioneer Marin Alsop. A strong voice for equity and creativity in the field, Professor Askren is also the Music Director of the groundbreaking opera Sensorium Ex, created by composer Paola Prestini and poet Brenda Shaughnessey, which explores issues at the intersection of AI, disability, and what it means to have a voice.

Holding degrees from The Juilliard School, Oberlin Conservatory, Bard College, and prestigious institutions in France and Romania, Professor Askren’s artistic development has been shaped by distinguished mentors, including conductors Alsop, Lorin Maazel, and Janos Fuerst and pianists Byron Janis, Sergio Perticaroli, and Germaine Tocatlian. An OPERA America Opera Grant winner, she is a laureate of France’s ADAMI and The Dallas Opera’s Hart Institute and has received fellowships from the Salzburg Mozarteum, the Royaumont Foundation, and the Aldeburgh Festival.  

Professor Askren's appointment follows William Boughton's retirement after leading the YSO for the last seven years.