Conductors
Fall 2024 – Winter 2025
Lead Conductor:
Sydney Mukasa
Sydney Mukasa is a conductor, tenor, and pianist from Baltimore, Maryland. He is currently in his third year of doctoral study in choral conducting at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, & Dance. Studying in the studio of Dr. Eugene Rogers, Sydney has recently served at the University as Music Director of Arts Chorale, Assistant Conductor of the Men’s Glee Club, Chorus Director of the Opera Studio’s production of Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, and Music Director of the prison-outreach chamber choir, Out of the Blue.
Sydney received a bachelor’s degree in Music from Harvard University in 2018, and enjoyed singing with The Harvard University Choir and the jazz acapella group, The Harvard Din & Tonics. Sydney also conducted several musical theater productions while studying at Harvard, including Sweeney Todd in the Oberon Theater. More recently, he graduated in 2022 with a master’s degree in choral conducting from Yale’s Institute of Sacred Music; in addition to co-directing the Battell Chapel Choir, he sang with several Yale choral ensembles including Yale Schola Cantorum under the direction of David Hill. He looks forward to lending his training and diverse experience to the exploration of works for choir, musical theater, opera, and orchestra.
Between his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Sydney spent two years working in administration for the artistic department at Boston Lyric Opera, and was an active singer with several Boston choral ensembles including Triad, Voices 21C, and Analog Chorale.
Assistant Conductor:
Gavin Tomasco
Gavin Tomasco (he/him) is a composer, vocalist, and conductor from New Jersey writing vocal, instrumental, and electronic music to explore the medium’s potential for dialogues and creative sonic expression. His music is inspired by poetry, philosophy, physical sciences, and a blend of contemporary and classical musical influences.
Gavin’s choral work has been performed by ensembles such as the University of Michigan Chamber Choir, University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club, and Florida Gulf Coast University Cantabile tenor bass choir. His music has been performed internationally in Brazil, Argentina, and Peru. Additionally, his music has been performed by students at the Eastman Community Music School and several high school bands and choirs in New Jersey.
Gavin has been recognized as the recipient of the 2023 Brehm Prize in Choral Composition, two-time finalist in the NJMEA Young Composers Competition (2021 & 2022), and winner of the 2021 Make Music Day Young Composers Contest. Gavin is currently studying for a BM in Composition at the University of Michigan with professors Erik Santos, Kristin Kuster, and Roshanne Etezady.
As a conductor, Gavin has founded and is directing Laurentide, a vocal new music ensemble dedicated to performing new choral works by the University of Michigan composition department. Gavin is also currently the assistant conductor of Arts Chorale.