John Kilkenny, incoming executive director of the New York Youth Symphony.
New York Youth Symphony (NYYS) has named John Kilkenny as executive director, effective in late March. He follows Shauna Quill, the organization’s executive director for 12 years. Kilkenny goes to NYYS from executive director positions at the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera and the Sewanee Music Festival, where he led orchestral, chamber music, and composition programs and supported music education for young artists. At NYYS, he will oversee programs in orchestra, chamber music, jazz, composition, musical theatre songwriting, conducting, and the newest NYYS orchestra, as well as community outreach, fundraising, programming, and marketing. At the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, Kilkenny guided the first music director search in 15 years and created the “Classics De-Classified” series, which brings CSO musicians into the community and includes the works of underrepresented composers. As artistic and executive director of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, he led significant increases in enrollment, earned revenue, and annual giving, and expanded DEI pathway programs. As a percussion clinician, he has worked with young musicians at multiple institutions. Kilkenny studied conducting with Anthony Maiello and began percussion training with Jonathan Haas and William Richards. He received his bachelor’s degree at the Juilliard School and a master’s degree at Temple University.
