Francisco J. Núñez

The MacArthur Fellow and Musical America’s 2018 Educator of the Year is a composer, conductor, visionary, leading figure in music education, and the artistic director/founder of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City (YPC). In establishing YPC, he has created an awareness of the ability of young people to rise to unforeseen heights of artistry. YPC’s many achievements led Mr. Núñez to establish YPC National, which has expanded the YPC model to children’s choruses beyond New York City.  Mr. Núñez’s commitment to the arts, youth, and diversity have been recognized through numerous awards and honors, including ASCAP’s Victor Herbert Award, the New York Choral Society’s Choral Excellence Award, and Bang on a Can’s Visionary Award.