Edward Cumming Named VYO Interim Conductor

Edward CummingEdward Cumming has been named interim conductor of the Vermont Youth Orchestra starting in August 2016. Mr. Cumming will conduct the VYOA’s top-tiered orchestra during the 2016-17 season, while a national search takes place for the music director position.

Mr. Cumming is the Primrose Fuller Professor of Orchestral Activities at The Hartt School, the music school of the University of Hartford. As a highly acclaimed conductor, he served as the music director of the Hartford Symphony from 2002-2011. Prior to joining the Hartford Symphony, he was the resident conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony and music director of the nationally-acclaimed Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra.

As a guest conductor, his international work includes conducting Orquesta Ciudad de Granada (Spain), South Bohemian Chamber Orchestra (Czech Republic), BBC Ulster Orchestra (Belfast), Belgrade Philharmonic (Serbia), Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Sinfonietta Be’er Sheva, and the Filharmonica de Bogota. In the United States, he has guest conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Oregon Symphony, the San Diego, Santa Barbara, Pacific and Long Beach symphony orchestras, Rochester Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony, Knoxville Symphony, and the Boston Pops.

In addition to his music directorship with the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Cumming was the founding music director of the Pacific Symphony Institute. He has taught at Yale University, California State University in Fullerton. University of South Florida in Tampa, and Pacific University (OR).

We look forward to having Mr. Cumming work with our students next season.