Youth Symphony of Kansas City announces additions to faculty

Raffaele Cipriano, YSKC Repertory Conductor // Courtesy of Youth Symphony of Kansas City

The Youth Symphony of Kansas City (YSKC) has recently appointed new artistic faculty members to carry them into their 65th anniversary season. 

Concert violinist and nonprofit leader Keith Stanfield has been appointed as Artistic Director. Stanfield also serves as coach of the YSKC Academy and concertmaster of the Kansas City Orchestra and Kinnor Philharmonic Orchestra. He is a member of the Opus 76 Quartet and an associate of the Royal Academy of Music based in London where he teaches as a visiting lecturer.

Opera coach and composer Raffaelle Cipriano joins YSKC as the new Repertory Conductor. He holds a doctorate in orchestral conducting from KU and currently serves as the assistant conductor of the Topeka Symphony, and music director of Washburn University, Overland Park Orchestra, and Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Shawnee. He has collaborated with organizations such as Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence Opera Theatre, and Landlocked Opera.

Matthew Pavon joins YSKC as the new Workshop Conductor. He is a recent graduate of Missouri State University, where he earned a master’s degree in music. He has served as a conductor for Missouri State University Orchestra, Missouri Philharmonic Orchestra, Drury University Orchestra, and Kansas City Civic Orchestra. He is the founder and director of the Galloway Chamber Orchestra of Springfield, Missouri. In addition to being a conductor and director, he is an assistant principal violist with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra.

Kansas City cellist and music educator Anna Cook will join YSKC as the Debut Conductor. She holds cello performance and music education degrees from Bethel College, in addition to a master’s degree in educational leadership from Fort Hays State University. She is currently the orchestra director at Shawnee Mission North High School in Overland Park.