American conductor Na’Zir McFadden is the Assistant Conductor and Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, working closely with Music Director Jader Bignamini.

McFadden also serves as Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Youth Orchestra. Together, they’ll present three programs exploring the masterworks of Sibelius, Schubert, Beethoven, Takashi Yoshimatsu, and Einojuhani Rautavaara.

Establishing his presence on the classical music scene, the 2024/25 season includes debuts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, and The No Name Pops (formerly The Philly Pops) at Marian Anderson Hall in Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center. He’ll also return to the New Mexico Philharmonic and Philadelphia Ballet, in addition to several engagements with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

This past summer, McFadden was invited by the Boston Symphony Orchestra as one of two 2024 Tanglewood Music Center Conducting Fellows. As a fellow, he conducted the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra in numerous performances, including a last-minute step-in to conduct Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5, and participated in masterclasses led by Andris Nelsons, Alan Gilbert, Thomas Wilkins, and Dima Slobodeniouk.

In the 2022-23 season, he made his subscription debut with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, alongside bass-baritone Devóne Tines and clarinetist Anthony McGill. In March of 2024, he conducted the DSO’s Classical Roots program, premiering two new works by composers Billy Childs and Shelly Washington.

Other career highlights have included debuts with the North Carolina Symphony, Utah Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, and Philadelphia Ballet. Additionally, McFadden led a recording project with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago — featuring Hilary Hahn as co- collaborator and soloist.

In 2020, McFadden was named the inaugural Apprentice Conductor of the Philadelphia Ballet; a position he held until 2022. He also served as the Robert L. Poster Conducting Apprentice of the New York Youth Symphony from 2020 to 2021.

 At the age of 16, Na’Zir conducted his hometown orchestra – The Philadelphia Orchestra – in their “Pop-Up” series, meeting their Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin who has been a mentor ever since. The Philadelphia Inquirer praised his “great stick [baton] technique and energetic presence on the podium” in their concert review.

Rishab Jain is an 18-year-old percussionist and is part of the Washington Musical Pathways Initiative. Rishab’s musical journey includes performances with the National Symphony Orchestra, NPR’s From the Top, and collaborations with musicians across various genres. For him, music isn’t simply an art form; it’s a universal language that bridges cultures, challenges norms, and reveals the emotional depth of human experience. If you see Rishab around, ask him about his love for vegan donuts. 

Dylan Gutierrez-Aguilar is an 18 year old violist from Georgia and is part of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Talent Development Program. Dylan’s musical commitment has allowed him to perform with various ensembles and participate in several local competitions. Notable performances include the 2024 Equity Arc Pathways Orchestra and the DeKalb Symphony Concerto Competition finals. Dylan’s journey has helped him embrace his passion for music, thus improving his dedication and consistency towards refining his musicianship, as well as applying those skill sets to many other areas in his life. If you see him around, ask him about his favorite soccer team!

Jose Luz Santos is an 18 year old flutist player and is a part of the Accelerando Program in Nashville, Tennessee. Their musical journey has taken them through Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute, the Interlochen Arts Camp, and recently the 2025 Equity Arc Wind Symphony. Jose is continuously inspired by the discipline that he sees within his peers and professional musicians alike. Even on long and challenging days, he aspires to work as hard as the people that he admires. If you see Jose around, make sure to ask them about their favorite tv shows or books!

Keith is a 17 year old Tubist and Trombonist and is part of Play On Philly in the heart of Philadelphia. Keith’s musical journey has taken him through multiple excellent performances in places like The Kimmel Center, in Philadelphia, the Schermerhorn Center, in Nashville, and Walt Disney Concert Hall, in Los Angeles. Some skills that music has given him are patience and concentration. Playing different types of music has helped him gain these skills because when playing pieces like Tchaikovsky’s 6th symphony, movement 2, he has to focus a lot on staying patient, carefully counting rests, and playing very delicately. While playing pieces like Pines of Rome, he has to be very concentrated to make sure all of the powerful excerpts are played precisely and accurately.

Rachel Won is a 17-year-old violinist and is a part of the Colburn Herbert Zipper program in Los Angeles, CA. Rachel’s musical journey is rich with diverse experiences, most recently being chosen for the Fellowship program at From the Top, semi-finalist for the Music Center’s Spotlight competition, and winning first prizes and honors at various competitions such as the VOCE competition. Additionally, she soloed with the SFVSO and the Porta Caeli Chamber orchestra, performing in the McAllister Honors Recital twice, both solo and in chamber music, and is also the first violinist of the SEAL quartet from the Colburn’s Ed and Mari Edelman honors chamber program coached by Moni Simeonov. A life lesson that Rachel learned through all the ups and downs and various experiences in music, is to never stop evolving. She seeks and finds incredible value in taking steps every day out of her comfort zone to find new aspects of something that she wouldn’t have otherwise.

Veronica is an 18-year-old violinist and a part of The Washington Musical Pathways Initiative in Washington, D.C. Her musical journey has taken her through amazing opportunities such as a masterclass with Randall Goosby at the Kennedy Center, performing at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, and performing with the New England Symphony Ensemble at Carnegie Hall. Music is fundamental in her life, and it means a lot to her since music taught her many lessons such as discipline and consistency. Besides lessons, music exposed her to a world where there are no language barriers, a world where you can communicate with others and express who you are in a way that connects to many people no matter who they are.

Dr. Ian Saunders is an accomplished musician, educator, and arts leader dedicated to advancing equity in classical music. As Artistic Director of Project STEP, he oversees a nationally recognized program that provides comprehensive music instruction to young musicians from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Prior to this role, he served as Assistant Dean of Students at the Eastern Music Festival and as Assistant Dean for Artistic and Social Change at the Longy School of Music, where he helped shape programs that bridge artistry with social impact.

A sought-after bassist, Dr. Saunders has performed with esteemed ensembles, including The Cleveland Orchestra, The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, The Virginia Symphony, and the Sphinx Symphony. His versatility extends beyond classical music, having collaborated with artists across genres, including Grammy-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth, as well as A Far Cry, Cherish the Ladies, Kansas, and hip-hop artist Thee Phantom. His musical range is further highlighted by performances with luminaries such as Audra McDonald and Rakim The God. He has appeared at iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Heinz Hall, as well as internationally in Canada, Mexico, and the Bahamas.

Beyond performance, Dr. Saunders is a dedicated advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the arts. He serves on the boards of Equity Arc and Emmanuel Music in Boston, helping to shape the future of equitable opportunities in classical music. A graduate of the prestigious Sphinx LEAD program—a two-year initiative designed to cultivate the next generation of executive leaders in the arts—he brings a forward-thinking approach to arts administration, leveraging his leadership experience to drive meaningful change in the field.

Anika Veda, 20, is a third-year flute performance student at the Shepherd School of Music, studying under Marianne Gedigian. She previously studied with Leone Buyse, Jennifer Gunn, and Hideko Amano. Anika has performed at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Chicago Symphony Center, and the Wiener Musikverein. She was featured on NPR’s From the Top and has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Oistrakh Symphony and CYSO Philharmonic Orchestra. She attended the Aspen Music Festival and School in 2023 and 2024, working with Nadine Asin, Mark Sparks, and Demarre McGill. Anika has also played in masterclasses for renowned flutists including Sir James Galway, Robert Langevin, Marina Piccinini, and Jim Walker.

Dillon Scott has been celebrated by the New York Times for possessing a mind that is “a fire hose of ambition and enterprising passion”. As an artist in the 21st Century, he is deeply committed to his role in promoting positive change and inspiring others.

As a supporter of contemporary and underrepresented voices, he has championed the Viola Concerto by Roberto Sierra as well as the Viola Sonata and String Quartet No.1 by George Walker by helping to create some of the first full digital performances of each work. In 2023, Dillon directed a schoolwide project at the Curtis Institute of Music that highlighted the chamber music of black composers which resulted in much publicity from organizations such as the Violin Channel and Project 440.

Dillon was a finalist in both the junior and senior divisions of the Sphinx Competition and was awarded first place at the Nelly Berman Young Classical Virtuosos of Tomorrow. Dillon was also featured on NPR’s From the Top. He has performed as a soloist with the Sphinx and the Indianapolis Symphony orchestras. He has also performed as a soloist at the Kimmel Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music degree at the Curtis Institute of Music where he studies with Edward Gazouleas and Roberto Diaz. There he also holds the Mark. E. Rubenstein Fellowship. During the 2022–2023 season, Dillon served as principal violist of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra where he received the prestigious Helen T. Carp Distinguished Service Award. In past summers, Dillon has attended the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival as a Solo Apprentice as well as the Verbier Soloist Academy, where he received the “Spirit of Verbier” Award. He has also attended the Perlman Music Program, Kneisel Hall, the Sphinx Performance Academy, and the Dali Quartet International Festival.

Shaquille Southwell is the Principal Clarinetist of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. He graduated from The Juilliard School with a Bachelor of Music degree, as a student of Anthony McGill. Additional studies were with Marci Gurnow, Jon Manasse, Alcides Rodriguez, and Katherine White. During his studies, Shaquille spent two summers in Sapporo, Japan as a member of the Pacific Music Festival Academy. He has performed as a guest musician with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Ballet, and the Atlanta Opera.

Wilfred Farquharson is a violist from the Atlanta, GA area that now calls Chicago, IL his home. He is currently the violist of D-Composed and Crossing Borders Music. As a member of both ensembles, Wilfred concertizes all over the Chicago area, as well as nationally and internationally. In addition to these two chamber ensembles, he also performs and subs with the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra, Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, and Chicago Sinfonietta. Outside of Chicago, Wilfred has performed in the sections of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Re-Collective Orchestra, and Matt Jones Orchestra. Furthermore, Wilfred joined Stevie Wonder’s “Sing a Song to Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart” tour in 2024 for his Midwest dates. Other notable artists Wilfred has performed and/or recorded for are Ms. Lauryn Hill, John Legend, Jessie Montgomery, Burna Boy, Robert Glasper, Carlos Simon, Andra Day, DRAMA, Rachel Barton-Pine, Arthur Verocai, Jamila Woods, Ken Peplowski, and Avery R. Young. Wilfred obtained his undergraduate degree from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University as a Hudson and Holland Scholar and Premier Young Artist Award recipient. He received his graduate degree with honors from the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. Wilfred is also an alumnus of the Meadowmount School of Music, Bowdoin International Music Festival, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Talent Development Program. He also very proudly serves as a mentor for the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative.