Jason Love named American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras’ new Artistic Director
Alex Stenseth
Annandale, May 20, 2024 - American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras and its Board of Directors are pleased to announce that Jason Love has joined the organization as Artistic Director. Love will begin his tenure as Artistic Director on June 1, prior to the start of the AYPO 60th Anniversary season. Love will be responsible for establishing and overseeing artistic objectives, coordinating with the artistic staff to ensure coherent offerings that meet the stated mission and goals of AYPO, and ensuring program excellence.
A highly experienced performer and educator, Love comes from Columbia Orchestra where he served as Music Director. In that role, he managed the selection of repertoire and guest artists, the design of all educational programming, the development of marketing, community engagement, and strategic planning initiatives.
Dedicated to education as much as directing, Love served for thirteen years in the Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestras (now the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras). There, he oversaw a multi-level orchestral program, led international tours to Austria, Japan, Russia, the Czech Republic, and Estonia, and forged partnerships with other community institutions including Morgan State University, the Baltimore Symphony, and Peabody Conservatory.
Love has also served as conducting teacher at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, conductor and instructor at the Governor’s School of North Carolina, music director at New Horizons Chamber Ensemble, and conductor at the Chesapeake Youth Repertory Orchestra. An accomplished violoncello recitalist and teacher, Love has also made solo appearances with the Piedmont Symphony Orchestra, the Frederick Symphony, and Columbia Summer Strings. Love holds a Master of Music in Conducting and Bachelor of Music in Violoncello Performance from the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University.
His many awards and accolades include the American Prize for Orchestral Programming, a “Howie” Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts in Howard County, MD, a Peabody Conservatory Alumni Achievement Award recognizing outstanding contributions to Music in Maryland, and honorary citations by the State of Maryland and Howard County General Assembly.
Of Love, AYPO President and Board Chair Ambassador (retired) Allan Mustard said, "We are excited to have someone of Jason's experience and caliber as our artistic director. This is a special position requiring more than skills in music. It blends music, music education, and diplomacy in coordinating the progressively challenging repertoire of our seven orchestras, and Jason fits that bill perfectly."
With his appointment, Love brings a vision for a youth orchestra program that forges strong lifelong connections and a passion for great music. “I believe that connection can inspire different but equally amazing outcomes: Even for some alumni who don’t continue to play regularly or at all, they say their experience in the group was central to how they experience the arts, how they see the world, and how they live their lives.” said Love.
Love’s dedication to building supportive, collaborative, and excellent programs, selecting challenging, relevant, and inspiring repertoire selection, and philosophy of whole child flourishing, will no doubt bring AYPO to an incredibly transformative and exhilarating era.