Cowan, Debaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP, Partner and Co-Chair of CDAS’s Corporate Practice Group
New York, NY
Mr. Berger has over two decades of experience representing clients on complex corporate legal matters and transactions, including, mergers, acquisitions and dispositions, equity and debt financings, partnerships, joint ventures and licensing deals. Mr. Berger represents companies, private equity funds, venture capital funds, family offices and high net worth individuals across a broad range of industries. He has particularly deep experience in the branded consumer products and entertainment industries, including celebrity influencer and endorsement arrangements, and regularly represents some of the most well-regarded investment funds in the consumer brands space. Mr. Berger also represents foreign investors in U.S. investments and the establishment of special purpose vehicles. On the company side, Mr. Berger represents businesses in the full life-cycle of corporate and commercial transactions and advises founders on choice of entity, executive compensation, and early-stage financing. Mr. Berger serves as outside general counsel to many of his clients, who rely upon him for strategic business guidance in addition to legal advice.
DAVID BOXENBAUM
Senior Advisor
New York, NY
David Boxenbaum was an executive at Price Waterhouse when he got a call from his college buddy James Diener then a senior vice president of marketing for Columbia Records/Sony Music, where Diener worked with such artists as Aerosmith, Bob Dylan, and Pink Floyd. Diener’s proposition to Boxenbaum: Let’s start an independent new music label that will take the industry by storm.
Their ambitious quest was realized in A&M/Octone Records, the hot music label that produced artists such as multi-platinum Maroon 5, modern-rock Flyleaf, rap-rockers Hollywood Undead, and pop hip-hop artist K’Naan. A&M/Octone was small, and the company takes on only a handful of acts, which Diener and Boxenbaum say allows them to give artists the personal attention needed to vault them out of obscurity and into commercial success. The company received about 100 demos each week and they all get a listen, says Boxenbaum.
Boxenbaum, consulted for Universal Music and Disney during his years at Price Waterhouse. “I want to believe that at the bottom of that stack is that great band that no one knew about and that didn’t have the connections to get directly to me. I want to believe, ‘Wow. This is going to be great.’ I love the discovery.” He offers up the Grammy Award-winning Maroon 5 as an example. “Every single major label passed on them,” he says of the group. “It’s about seeing what people don’t see. The connection they have with an audience. What we saw was a diamond in the rough.” Diener and Boxenbaum signed the group in 2002, and in the years since, Maroon 5 has seen several albums go platinum.
ERICA BUURMAN
American Beethoven Society
San Jose, CA
Erica Buurman is Director of the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies and Associate Professor in the School of Music and Dance at San Jose State University. She joined SJSU in the spring of 2019, having previously held a faculty position at Canterbury Christ Church University in the UK. She completed her doctorate at the University of Manchester, UK, with a dissertation on Beethoven's compositional approach to the overarching forms of his instrumental works, focusing particularly on preliminary outline plans in the composer's sketchbooks.
Erica's research interests center on Beethoven and include sketch study, Viennese musical culture, and social dance. She held a Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship in 2017–2018 with a project on social dancing in Beethoven's Vienna, which resulted in a monograph (currently in press). Other recent publications include chapters in The Cambridge Companion to the Eroica Symphony (Cambridge, 2020) and The New Beethoven (University of Rochester Press, 2020). She has contributed to radio broadcasts about Beethoven on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, including several episodes of the 125-part series Beethoven Unleashed, which was broadcast on BBC radio throughout 2020. Erica is editor of The Beethoven Journal and The Beethoven Newsletter.
SIMON CARRINGTON
Artistic Advisor
Bradford-on-Avon, England and Lamothe-Cassel, France
Simon Carrington, Yale University professor emeritus, has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in music, performing as singer, double bass player and conductor, first in the UK, and latterly in the USA and round the world. From 2003 to 2009 he was professor of choral conducting at Yale University and director of the Yale Schola Cantorum, a 24-voice chamber choir which he brought to national and now international prominence. During his Yale tenure, Carrington led the introduction of a new graduate voice degree for singers specializing in oratorio, early music, and chamber ensemble, and, with his faculty colleagues, guided two Yale graduate students to their first prize wins in consecutive conducting competitions at American Choral Directors Association National Conventions. From 2001 until his Yale appointment, he was director of choral activities at the New England Conservatory, Boston, where he was selected by the students for the Krasner Teaching Excellence Award and from where he received an Honorary Doctorate in 2014. From 1994 to 2001, he held a similar position at the University of Kansas.
Prior to coming to the United States, Simon was a creative force for twenty-five years with the internationally acclaimed British vocal ensemble The King’s Singers, which he co-founded at Cambridge University, and which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018.
Simon now keeps an active schedule as a freelance conductor and choral clinician, leading workshops and master classes round the world.
JASON MAX FERDINAND
Artistic Advisor
College Park, MD
Jason Max Ferdinand is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Maryland, College Park, a role he assumed in the fall of 2022. He is deeply honored to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, Dr. Edward Maclary, who led the university’s choral program for over two decades with distinction.
A dynamic conductor, composer, educator, and speaker, Ferdinand is the founding artistic director of The Jason Max Ferdinand Singers: An Ensemble of Exceptional Talents. Prior to his current role, he served as Director of Choral Activities, Chair of the Music Department, and Full Professor at Oakwood University, where he led the renowned Aeolians of Oakwood University to international acclaim.
Ferdinand is a published author and composer with GIA Publications. His book, Teaching with Heart: Tools for Addressing Societal Challenges Through Music, offers strategies for music educators navigating complex cultural issues. He also curates The Jason Max Ferdinand Choral Series with Walton Music, spotlighting powerful and diverse choral repertoire.
Born and raised in Trinidad & Tobago, Ferdinand holds a Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance from Oakwood College (now Oakwood University), a Master of Arts in Choral Conducting from Morgan State University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Maryland. Along the way, he was mentored by influential figures including Dr. Wayne Bucknor, Dr. Lloyd Mallory, the late Dr. Nathan Carter, and Dr. Edward Maclary. Each played a formative role in shaping his musical vision and leadership.
While pursuing graduate studies, Ferdinand served as assistant conductor for multiple ensembles and led the Summer Choral Festival Program at the University of Maryland, where he also studied orchestral conducting with Jim Ross, a student of Leonard Bernstein and Kurt Masur.
In 2008, he returned to Oakwood University to lead the Aeolians. Under his direction, the choir gained international prominence, performing a wide range of repertoire across the U.S., Europe, the Caribbean, and Africa. Notable milestones include representing the U.S. in Moscow as part of a diplomatic cultural exchange (2011), winning three gold medals at the 7th World Choir Games in Cincinnati (2012), and earning the title of “Choir of the World” at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales (2017), where Ferdinand was also named the event’s Most Outstanding Director. In 2018, the Aeolians won three additional gold medals at the 10th World Choir Games in South Africa.
Ferdinand made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2015, and that same year, conducted the Aeolians in collaboration with soprano Kathleen Battle. He also led the Alabama Symphony Orchestra in 2016 for a Martin Luther King Jr. tribute concert. In 2019, the Aeolians’ performance at the National ACDA Conference earned national praise, with many remarking that “they broke the ACDA.” That same year, they were featured at the National Collegiate Choral Organization Conference—held at the University of Maryland.
In 2021, in the wake of a global pandemic and social unrest, Ferdinand launched The Jason Max Ferdinand Singers with a virtual concert through Live from London – Spring. The ensemble is committed to showcasing underrepresented composers and advancing cultural dialogue through choral music. In 2023, they were invited to perform at the National ACDA Conference.
He remains an in-demand guest conductor, clinician, and lecturer, appearing regularly at schools, universities, churches, and music festivals worldwide. He serves on the board of the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO) and previously served on the board of the Alabama ACDA. He was honored as “Teacher of the Year” at Oakwood University for the 2017–2018 academic year.
His ensembles have released several acclaimed recordings, including The Aeolians (2019) and Solace (2021) with the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers. He has collaborated with renowned artists such as Jacob Collier, Donald Lawrence, Take 6, and others.
Ferdinand continues to compose actively and finds deep joy in mentoring the next generation of conductors and composers. His greatest satisfaction comes from seeing his students rise into their own artistic leadership. He is grateful for the support and influence of his parents, Dr. T. Leslie and Mary Ferdinand, both retired educators, and credits them for instilling a lifelong love of learning. He shares life with his wife, Meka, a registered nurse, and their children: Caleb, Ava, and baby Jamē.
HAEJIN SHIM FUJIMURA
Princeton, NJ
Haejin Shim Fujimura is a pioneering attorney, social entrepreneur, and cultural advocate whose work bridges the worlds of law, justice, faith, and the arts. Based in Princeton, New Jersey, she is widely recognized for her unique approach to justice—one that integrates professional excellence with deep compassion, spiritual insight, and a commitment to holistic restoration.
As the founding and managing partner of Shim & Associates, P.C., Haejin leads a dynamic legal practice focused on litigation, corporate law, and nonprofit counsel. Her firm represents a broad spectrum of clients, ranging from startups and nonprofit organizations to publicly traded corporations. She is particularly known for her strategic acumen in civil litigation and governance, often serving as a trusted advisor during complex transitions or organizational crises. In building her firm, she sought to disrupt the burnout culture prevalent in the legal field by creating an environment where attorneys can thrive professionally while maintaining balance, purpose, and integrity.
Yet, Haejin’s work transcends conventional legal practice. Her personal calling to advocate for the vulnerable led her to co-found Embers International, a nonprofit organization that protects and empowers survivors of human trafficking and other forms of injustice. Since its founding in 2018, Embers International has developed programs in India and the U.S. focused on providing long-term, trauma-informed support for women, children, and families affected by generational exploitation. Through education, rehabilitation, and leadership training, the organization equips survivors not only to heal but also to lead transformative change in their own communities.
In tandem with her legal and humanitarian work, Haejin serves as President of Academy Kintsugi, an initiative that draws inspiration from the ancient Japanese practice of kintsugi—the art of repairing broken pottery with gold to celebrate its history and resilience. This metaphor of beauty emerging from brokenness lies at the heart of her broader vision, which emphasizes the power of restoration in both individual lives and societal systems. Academy Kintsugi offers workshops, mentorship, and resources for emerging leaders who seek to integrate justice, creativity, and healing in their vocations. A core part of her work involves collaboration with her husband, the internationally acclaimed artist and cultural commentator Makoto Fujimura. Together, they co-lead the Beauty + Justice movement, which brings artists, lawyers, theologians, and activists into conversation around the transformative potential of beauty in the pursuit of justice. Their shared mission promotes the idea that lasting change in society begins not just with systems or policies, but with the cultivation of imagination, empathy, and spiritual renewal.
Haejin’s thought leadership has earned her invitations to speak at global forums and universities, including events on restorative justice, nonprofit innovation, and faith in the public square. She is a contributor to publications such as Comment Magazine, where she writes on the intersection of law, culture, and human dignity. Fluent in Korean and deeply connected to her cultural heritage, she also brings a global perspective to her work, informed by international engagement and cross-cultural insight.
Her academic path includes a Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College, Columbia University, and a Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School. She is admitted to the bar in New York and New Jersey, and is licensed to practice before several federal courts.
Haejin lives in Princeton with her family, where she continues to nurture initiatives that honor the sacredness of human life and the potential for redemptive change. Whether in the courtroom, the nonprofit world, or the artistic sphere, her leadership is marked by ethical clarity, creative vision, and unwavering hope.
MAKOTO FUJIMURA
Princeton, NJ
An Illuminative Life in Art, Faith, and Culture
Makoto Fujimura is an internationally renowned contemporary artist, writer, and cultural thought leader who works at the intersection of fine art, theology, and social philosophy. Known for his luminous abstract paintings that merge traditional Japanese Nihonga techniques with Western abstraction, Fujimura has become a leading voice for what he calls Culture Care—a philosophy that advocates for the nurturing of culture through beauty, justice, and spiritual renewal.
Makoto Fujimura was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Japanese parents. His father was a renowned acoustics scientist, and his mother was a teacher. He spent much of his childhood in Japan, moving back and forth between the United States and Japan. This bicultural upbringing laid the foundation for the fusion of East and West that defines his artistic and intellectual work.
He earned his B.A. in animal behavior and art from Bucknell University in 1983, graduating cum laude. Deeply interested in both the sciences and the humanities, Fujimura initially considered a career in science before turning fully to art. His creative path led him to Japan, where he became the first non-Japanese citizen ever admitted to the doctoral-level Nihonga painting program at the prestigious Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo Geijutsu Daigaku). There, he studied under traditional masters and learned the meticulous craft of Nihonga—a discipline that involves natural mineral pigments, gold and silver leaf, and centuries-old techniques. His thesis painting, a large-scale Nihonga work, was acquired by the university—an extraordinary honor and recognition of his mastery of the form.
Fujimura’s paintings are meditative, abstract works that often incorporate gold, silver, platinum, and crushed minerals such as malachite and azurite. These materials, rooted in ancient Japanese tradition, are used in layered, time-intensive applications that invite viewers to slow down and reflect. His works can be understood as visual liturgies—offering contemplative spaces for beauty, transcendence, and healing.
His artistic language blends the quiet reverence of Eastern minimalism with the expressive depth of Western abstraction, drawing comparisons to artists such as Rothko, Turner, and Rauschenberg, yet always retaining a voice that is uniquely his own.
Among his celebrated series are:
The Golden Sea
Water Flames
Charis: Kairos
Silence (inspired by Shusaku Endo’s novel)
Tears of Christ
Walking on Water
One of Fujimura’s most significant commissions came in 2009 when he was asked by Crossway Publishers to illuminate the Four Holy Gospels in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. The project, completed in 2011, marked a rare moment in contemporary art: a traditionally trained artist bringing sacred text to life through a modern, yet reverent, visual idiom.
The result was a fully illuminated manuscript with five major frontispieces and more than 140 hand-embellished pages. It is one of the most ambitious modern religious art commissions of the 21st century and has been exhibited in major museums, cathedrals, and seminaries around the world. Makoto Fujimura is also a prolific writer and speaker. His writing explores the relationship between art, faith, culture, and the moral imagination. Some of his most influential books include:
Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art, and Culture (2009) – a collection of essays reflecting on art, culture, and Christian life.
Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Life (2014) – a manifesto calling for cultural stewardship rather than cultural warfare.
Silence and Beauty(2016) – a profound engagement with Shusaku Endo’s novel Silence, examining the role of faith and suffering through art.
Art + Faith: A Theology of Making (2021) – a theological and personal exploration of creativity as a spiritual act.
In these works, Fujimura argues that art is not an optional luxury but an essential element of human flourishing—especially in times of fragmentation and crisis. He believes that the act of making is a sacred act, rooted in the image of a Creator who makes and redeems.
Fujimura’s concept of Culture Care is central to his legacy. He defines it as the act of nurturing culture as a gardener tends a garden, rather than approaching it as a battlefield. This philosophy has had a profound impact on how Christian communities, educators, artists, and civic leaders engage with the arts and public life.
In 1992, Fujimura founded the International Arts Movement (IAM), now called IAMCultureCare, a nonprofit organization that promotes the integration of faith, art, and culture. Through IAM, he has convened artists, scholars, and spiritual leaders to consider how beauty and creativity can serve the common good.
He also co-founded Kintsugi Academy with his wife, Haejin Shim Fujimura—a lawyer and human rights advocate—to bring healing and justice through the lens of beauty. The academy draws its name from the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, an apt metaphor for restoration through grace.
From 2003 to 2009, Fujimura served as a presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts, advising the National Endowment for the Arts under President George W. Bush. During his tenure, he advocated for increased funding and recognition for artists of diverse backgrounds and for the spiritual dimensions of creative expression.
He has received numerous awards and honorary doctorates, and his work has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Image Journal, and Christianity Today. He continues to speak at leading institutions such as Yale, Princeton, Oxford, and the Aspen Institute, as well as TED conferences, seminaries, and global forums on art and faith.
Makoto Fujimura lives and works in Princeton, New Jersey. He is married to Haejin Shim Fujimura, and together they have three children. Their family life reflects a commitment to community, hospitality, and justice rooted in Christian values.
He continues to create art in his studio, write and publish, and engage in projects that integrate aesthetics with spiritual and ethical inquiry. He is currently working on a new book, Art Is: A Journey into the Light, expected to be released in late 2025.
His work continues to serve as a beacon for those seeking beauty in brokenness, hope in suffering, and peace in a divided world.For more information, you can visit his official website: makotofujimura.com.
GÜNTER HÄNSSLER
Stuttgart, Germany
Known in the press as “The man who tracks down great musical moments,” Günter Hänssler is the CEO of Hänssler Classic, Profil Media GmbH, and Edition Günter Hänssler. A native of Stuttgart, he began working for his parents’ Hänssler-Verlag, initially a publisher of church music, which eventually expanded to books and records. As head and managing director of the recording department at Hänssler-Verlag, Günter oversaw the transition from analog to digital recordings, and he is internationally renowned for the catalog he has curated, including Edition Bachakademie, a 172-CD compendium of all the sacred works of Johann Sebastian Bach, led by Artistic Director Helmuth Rilling. Other notable conductors on the label include Herbert Blomstedt, Colin Davis, Bernard Haitink, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Christian Thielemann, and Günter Wand.
JILL HEIDEL
Bethel, CT
Jill Heidel is a Certified Occupational Health Nurse and Case Manager with a Nursing Degree from Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, IN (a division of Indiana University). She also holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance, from Manhattanville University in Purchase, NY. Over the years, Jill has been deeply involved in music and community service. She founded a children’s choir at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in New Canaan, CT, 1975, where she also served as President of the Women’s Association.
While living in Geneva, Switzerland, she was President of the American Women’s Club Glee Club from 1976 to 1978 and conducted the folk musical Tell It Like It Is. She is a past and current President of the prestigious Connecticut Choral Society and has had the privilege of singing under the direction of Robert Page, Glenn Miller, Margaret Hillis and presently, Eric Dale Knapp. In addition to her accomplishments in nursing and music, Jill has a notable background in business development. While living and working in Pennsylvania, she identified a critical need for an Independent Medical Evaluation (IME) Facility in her area. In response, she established CMA Evaluation Consultants, becoming the first to offer IME services in Berks County and expanding with satellite offices throughout Central and Eastern Pennsylvania.
Her entrepreneurial efforts were recognized nationally in 2001, when Inc. Magazine listed her business among the top 500 fastest-growing companies in the United States. Jill was also formally honored by The Executive Corporation (TEC), an international organization of CEOs, for this significant achievement. Through her work as a CT state AARP volunteer, Jill was selected to be on the Board of Directors for Qualidigm Corporation.
Born and raised in Frankfort, Indiana, Jill has lived in diverse locations, including Long Island, NY; Vista, NY; New Canaan, CT; the Chicago area; Kokomo, IN; the Wyomissing, PA area; and Geneva, Switzerland. She is the proud mother of four adult children and grandmother to two young adults. Family and faith remain central to her life, and she is an active member of Valley Presbyterian Church in Brookfield, CT. Now residing in Bethel, CT, Jill continues to cherish the values of music, community, and faith that have guided her throughout her life.
DENNIS KEENE
Artistic Advisor
New York, NY
Dennis Keene is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Voices of Ascension. Known internationally through his many concerts and recordings with Voices of Ascension as well as his regular guest appearances as conductor and teacher, he is one of leading choral conductors in the world today.
Recognized early as an exceptional organist, Dennis Keene studied at The Juilliard School, where he earned the BM, MM, and DMA degrees and the coveted Gaston Dethier Organ Prize as a student of Vernon de Tar. Dr. Keene also studied privately in Paris with Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, André Marchal, and André Isoir. Dennis Keene was active as a recitalist until his interest in conducting led him to concentrate on that discipline. He subsequently studied conducting at the Pierre Monteux School for Orchestral Conductors, with Charles Bruck in Paris, and with John Nelson at The Juilliard School. His passion for the finest in professional choral music can be traced to his early work as organist with Gregg Smith, Roger Wagner, and Margaret Hillis.
In addition to his work with Voices of Ascension and The Dennis Keene Choral Festival, Dr. Keene continues as Organist and Choirmaster of Church of the Ascension in New York City. He served for many years on the Board of Directors of Chorus America, the national service organization for the choral field, which honored him with the first Louis Botto Award for “innovative action and entrepreneurial zeal in developing a professional ensemble of exceptional artistic quality.” He has also served on the Choral Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts and on the Music Panel of the .New York State Council on the Arts
From 1998 to 2003 Maestro Keene presented a major summer institute for the training of conductors and singers: The Dennis Keene Choral Festival, in Kent, Connecticut. In 1993 he began his recording association with Delos International, with which he has recorded such best-selling CD’s as Beyond Chant, the Duruflé Album, and the Berlioz Te Deum. This series of highly acclaimed recordings with Voices of Ascension has secured international recognition for both conductor and chorus and become the standard for first-ranked ensembles worldwide.
CHRISTOPHER KOREY
New York, NY
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CAIUS LEE
Artistic Advisor
Oxford, UK
Caius Lee is a prominent British musician, choral conductor, and educator, currently serving as the Director of College Music at Worcester College, University of Oxford. With a strong background in both performance and education, Lee is renowned for his leadership in choral music and his entrepreneurial approach to arts initiatives. He is also an advocate for music education, believing in its power to transform lives and communities.
Caius Lee’s journey into the world of music began in his early teens, when he was discovered during a Bradford Cathedral choir outreach day. While initially interested in pursuing a career in sports, he quickly found his passion for music after being invited to a taster service at the cathedral. Immersed in the sound and atmosphere of the organ loft, he expressed an immediate desire to learn the organ and participate in the choir. This moment marked the beginning of his musical career.
Lee went on to study at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, where he earned a degree in music and served as the Organ Scholar. This prestigious position allowed him to hone his skills as a performer, conductor, and educator. His time at Cambridge also provided him with the foundation to embark on a career focused on both performance and teaching, with a special interest in choral music. Lee's academic background in music, combined with his early training in the organ, allowed him to develop a deep understanding of both classical and contemporary musical traditions.
As a performer, Lee is known for his wide-ranging contributions to choral and vocal music. He has performed extensively across Europe, Asia, and South America, and is especially known for his work with choirs and vocal ensembles. His performances have spanned a diverse array of genres, from the sacred music of the Renaissance to contemporary works.
One of Lee’s most notable roles has been as the Music Director of the Worcester College Choir at the University of Oxford. Under his direction, the choir has become renowned for its excellence in performance and commitment to expanding the repertoire of choral music. Lee has also been involved with The Jericho Youth Choir and the All Sorts Community Choir, initiatives designed to bring choral music to a broader audience and give young people and community members the opportunity to develop their vocal talents.
Lee's musical career has also extended to collaborations with notable ensembles and orchestras. He has worked with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the ORA Singers, with whom he has recorded several acclaimed albums. His performances and recordings reflect a passion for blending traditional choral music with innovative and contemporary practices.
Beyond his work as a conductor and performer, Caius Lee is a highly regarded entrepreneur in the arts and music sectors. He founded the Addamus Choral Programme, a transformative initiative focused on choral education and performance. Through this program, Lee has helped foster a new generation of choral musicians, providing them with the skills, mentorship, and opportunities to perform and grow in their craft. The Addamus Choral Programme offers training and performance experiences for young singers and choral enthusiasts, supporting their development both musically and personally.
In addition to his work with Addamus, Lee has made significant contributions as a mentor and educator. He has been instrumental in shaping the musical direction at Worcester College and has been an advocate for expanding access to music education. Lee’s entrepreneurial spirit is evident in his ability to create and lead initiatives that empower individuals through the art of choral singing.
His entrepreneurial endeavors also include the Florence International Singing Programme, a summer training initiative that he founded to offer young singers an immersive, high-quality music education experience. This program focuses on vocal training, choral performance, and professional development, attracting talented individuals from across the globe.
Lee’s commitment to music education extends beyond the classroom and performance hall. In 2019, he became a trustee for Awards for Young Musicians, an organization dedicated to supporting young musicians from low-income families. His involvement with this organization highlights his dedication to ensuring that musical opportunities are accessible to all, regardless of financial background.
As a music educator and leader, Lee has also worked to bridge the gap between music education and social impact. His philosophy centers on the belief that music has the power to unite communities, foster creativity, and promote social cohesion. Through his work with choirs and educational programs, he has touched the lives of individuals from diverse backgrounds, inspiring them to pursue their musical passions and contribute positively to their communities.
Caius Lee’s career is a testament to the power of music as both an art form and a means for personal and social development. From his early exposure to music at Bradford Cathedral to his current role at the University of Oxford, Lee has continuously sought to inspire, educate, and transform through music. His entrepreneurial ventures have helped shape the future of choral music, and his dedication to music education has created lasting impacts on the individuals and communities he serves.
Lee continues to be an influential figure in the world of music, blending performance, education, and entrepreneurship in ways that contribute to the growth and sustainability of the arts. His work exemplifies a lifelong commitment to musical excellence, social impact, and the belief that music can change the world.
DIANE LESSER
Artistic Advisor
New York, NY
Diane Lesser is one of the top studio recording oboists in the country performing with a host of respected orchestras and active in the realms of pop music, television and radio commercials and film soundtracks. She has played at diverse venues such as the Grammy Awards, Sesame Street, the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France, Z100’s Jingle Ball and at the White House. Director of orchestral personnel at Nexus Arts & Culture, New York, NY.