Yoon Sang Timothy Cho
Yoon Sang Timothy Cho is a devoted conductor in New York City. He has served as the Music Director and Conductor for Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra succeeding Maestro David Gilbert since 2016. Dr. Cho is also the Artistic Director for the Amadeo Philharmonic Society. At the age of 25, he made his sold-out Carnegie Hall conducting debut with the New York Premier of the Opera, Seonbi: The Noble and Wise Man, leading the production to a “tremendous success” (Newdaily) with his “artistry of the highest standard… [and] masterful conducting technique” (Asia Today). He has been part of countless world-premieres as he strives to promote contemporary works of talented and enterprising composers.
Dr. Cho has been invited to work as a guest conductor with several notable orchestras such as New York Classical Symphony Orchestra and K-Radio Philharmonic Orchestra while having been featured numerous times with Union City Philharmonic Orchestra for their annual New York Winter Festival at Carnegie Hall. He has been invited as a conducting fellow with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and has worked with the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra as the assistant conductor.
As a strong advocate for music education, Mr. Cho serves on the faculty of the Children’s Orchestra Society and New York Classical Youth Orchestra. In the past, he has worked closely with a wide range of youth orchestras including NYC Honors Festival Symphony Orchestra, MSM Summer Orchestra, and California Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.
Dr. Cho began his career in San Jose, CA studying violin with Byung-Woo Kim with several award-winning performances with San Jose Young Artist Concerto Competition, California Young Artist Concerto Competition. He has also toured with San Jose Youth Symphony as the concertmaster in various countries in Eastern Europe and South America. In pursuit of a musical career in violin, he moved to New York for his bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance at Manhattan School of Music under Isaac Malkin. During this time, he worked tirelessly to perform with local orchestras such as Queensboro Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble 212, Ensemble du Monde. He was invited to play with Berkshire Bach Society by the legendary harpsichordist, Kenneth Cooper. Dr. Cho has also worked with several emerging producers and bands. He’s performed with Young the Giant alongside Grouplove on their East-Coast tour, 2012 at the House of Blues, Electric Factory, Terminal 5, 9:30 Club. He was also featured in Lawrence Trailer’s Declaration EP (2012) album, produced by Dave Clauss. Dr. Cho started his conducting career at Manhattan School of Music where he was mentored by David Gilbert, Kurt Mazur, and Leonard Slatkin. He now has his Doctorate from Manhattan School of Music: Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting where he was under the tutelage of George Manahan.
Past Directors
David Gilbert
David Gilbert has been acclaimed for his dynamic performances with orchestras throughout the United States, Far East and Europe. Born to a family of musicians, he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Eastman School of Music, and won first prize in the 1970 Dimitri Mitropoulos International Conducting Competition. He became the assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic from 1970 to 1979 as well as principal conductor of the American Ballet Theatre from 1971 to 1975.
From 1980 to 1982, at China’s invitation, David Gilbert served as principal guest conductor of the Beijing Central Philharmonic. The first American musician to hold a position of prominence in China, Mr. Gilbert was instrumental in rebuilding the Chinese major symphonic orchestra.
David Gilbert was resident conductor and faculty member of the Manhattan School of Music, retiring in 2016. While there, he conducted both symphony and opera orchestras including several important New York premieres. CDs of Ned Rorem’s “Miss Julie”, Benjamin Britten’s “Albert Herring”, William Mayer’s “A Death in the Family” and Scott Eyerly’s world premiere performance of “The House of the Seven Gables” with the MSM Opera Department, David Gilbert conducting, have been released. In September 2004 and 2006, Mr. Gilbert represented Manhattan School of Music as the United States judge for the Pedrotti International Conducting Competition in Trento, Italy.
His compositions for chamber ensemble, orchestra, and opera include “Concerto for Trombone, Brass and Orchestra”, “Ballade Concertante for Tuba and Orchestra” and “Phoenix Madrigal” for flute and strings.
Mr. Gilbert was also music director of the Greenwich Symphony (CT) and the Senior Concert Orchestra of New York. He resides in New Jersey with his family.
