Voices of Connection Guest Curator: Francisco J. Núñez

Francisco J. Núñez, a MacArthur Fellow and Musical America’s 2018 Educator of the Year, is a composer, conductor, visionary, leading figure in music education, and the artistic director/founder of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City. Since he founded YPC in 1988, he has established an awareness of the ability of children to rise to unforeseen artistic heights, and now, through YPC National, he is expanding the YPC model to children’s choruses beyond New York City. Mr. Núñez also leads the University Glee Club of New York City, its fifth conductor since the all-men’s chorus was established in 1894. He is sought after nationwide as a guest conductor, master teacher, and a keynote speaker as a leading authority on the role of music in achieving equality and diversity among children in today’s society. As a composer, Mr. Núñez creates countless compositions and arrangements in all musical formats and styles for choirs, orchestras, and solo instruments. Among his many awards, he was most recently honored with the ASCAP Foundation’s Life in Music Award. NYU Steinhardt has honored him with its Distinguished Alumnus Achievement Award, and he holds honorary Doctor of Music degrees from both Ithaca College and Gettysburg College. https://ypc.org/about/people/francisco-j-nunez/