Audition Prep with Isaac K.

At the age of 26, American conductor Isaac is already establishing himself as one of the most impressive of his generation. His cross-genre musical acumen has resulted in a career that encompasses artistic activities spanning the symphonic, operatic, musical theater, and pops repertoire. Isaac began gaining noticeable recognition in 2012, a year in which he was a Semi-Finalist for the American Prize in Conducting. That same summer he was a member of the Castleton Festival Orchestra, under the direction of the late Maestro Lorin Maazel, and was invited to join the orchestra on a groundbreaking international tour to Oman. In the year that followed, he served as Assistant Conductor to Metropolitan Opera Conductor J. David Jackson, at the Siena Music Festival in Italy. This included assisting with productions of Turn of the Screw, Cendrillon, La Forza Del Destino, and I Vespri Siciliani, as well as several concerts. A graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, Isaac completed a Bachelor of Music in Trombone Performance, with Honors, under the tutelage of long-time Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops trombonist, Norman Bolter. During that time he simultaneously studied with BSO Associate Conductor, Marcelo Lehninger, with further mentorship from Bill Drury and Stephen Lord. His time at NEC was preceded by intensive study at the prestigious Orange County School For The Arts, where he received hands-on experience conducting his peers in the various school ensembles. During that time he also served as an apprentice to conductor Barry Silverman, who continues to serve as a mentor to this day. As a result, Isaac is regularly invited back to the school as a guest conductor and mentor to currently enrolled students. His affinity for conducting pops repertoire was further cultivated during his time as Music Director of Celebrity Cruises, a multi-faceted role that entailed conducting and artistic planning and administration for all music programs in the Celebrity fleet, including the Theatre Orchestra. Following in the footsteps of his icons, namely Leonard Bernstein and Gustavo Dudamel, Isaac has a passionate desire to bring music education and appreciation of the arts to all children in the belief that music can be a unifying force in the world. In 2016, Isaac co-founded the New York Conductors Symphony (NCS), in partnership with acclaimed violinist Eric Silberger. This innovative ensemble plays a pivotal role in fostering the next generation of conductors by providing them with opportunities to develop their talents in a creative environment of the highest artistic standard. ​ He continues to develop his unique skill set under the guidance of his current mentor, music director and conductor for broadway national tours, symphony pops guest conductor and arranger, Maestro David Andrews Rogers.