About | Helen Cha-Pyo

B i o g r a p h y

Dynamic, visionary, and passionate about using music to make a difference, Helen H. Cha-Pyo is the Music Director & Conductor of the New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS), now in her ninth season. An award-winning conductor and arts leader, she is passionate about inspiring young musicians to pursue artistic excellence while discovering music’s power to connect people, cultures, and communities.

At the heart of Cha-Pyo’s work is the belief that artistic excellence and social purpose can strengthen one another. She champions living and underrepresented composers and creates innovative programs that connect music with history, culture, and contemporary social issues. Grounded in the power of collaboration, her work brings together artists, educators, and community partners to expand music’s reach and impact. Her initiatives have received support from New Music USA, American Composers Forum, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), and her adventurous programming has been recognized with ASCAP awards.

Under her leadership, NJYS has expanded its artistic reach through ambitious programming, new music, interdisciplinary collaborations, and transformative performance experiences. The orchestra has appeared at Carnegie Hall’s Juneteenth Celebration concerts in 2022 and 2024, toured internationally to Italy, and released its first professional recording, Microvids, featuring music by Stefania de Kenessey with pianist Donna Weng Friedman (Navona Records, 2025). In summer 2026, Cha-Pyo led NJYS on an international tour of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, using performance and cultural exchange to deepen connections between young musicians and communities abroad.

Photo: © Kimberly M. Wang | @eardogfoto | eardog.com

From 2018 to 2026, Cha-Pyo served for eight years as Artistic Director of Wharton Arts, helping lead significant growth in both reach and breadth of programming while shaping a more cohesive, inclusive, and accessible artistic vision. Under her leadership, Wharton Arts expanded its jazz programs, launched lifelong learning and community theater opportunities for adults and 55+ participants, increased free educational and community performances through Wharton Arts in the Community, and presented impactful projects including Violins of Hope at NJPAC. She also championed new music, culturally responsive programming, and cross-community partnerships, reinforcing her belief in the arts as a powerful catalyst for connection, belonging, and social impact.

Previously, Cha-Pyo served for 16 years as Music Director and Conductor of the Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO), where she led international tours to Europe, China, South Korea, and Portugal. Her adventurous programming earned multiple ASCAP awards, and her vision helped launch ESYO CHIME, bringing intensive music education to underserved young people in New York’s Capital Region. In recognition of her legacy, ESYO established the Helen Cha-Pyo Golden Baton Award and Scholarships, honoring students who demonstrate a commitment to using music to uplift their communities.

Since 2023, Cha-Pyo has also served as Artistic Director of the Bella Music Foundation (BMF), an organization dedicated to empowering blind and visually impaired musicians through education, performance opportunities, and career development. Under her artistic leadership, BMF has presented outstanding blind and visually impaired artists at venues including Merkin Hall in New York City and the Barrymore Film Center in New Jersey. In September 2025, she conducted the BMF Symphony Orchestra at the International Music Festival for the Blind at UNESCO House in Paris, advancing BMF’s mission of inclusion and accessibility through music.

Earlier in her career, Cha-Pyo served as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Riverside Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir in New York City from 1996 to 2002 while serving as Associate Director of Music at The Riverside Church. There, she spearheaded free educational concerts for New York City public school students and recorded three albums with the Riverside Choir (JAV Recordings). From 2009 to 2013, she served as Artistic Director of the Kenya Jirani Children’s Choir and Harlem Jirani Children’s Ensemble, traveling regularly to Kenya to train local conductors and leading the ensembles on tours to South Korea and the United States.

A sought-after guest conductor and clinician, Cha-Pyo conducts professional, All-State, regional, and festival orchestras throughout the United States and has guest-conducted and led workshops in Africa, Asia, and Europe. In July 2027, she will return to the Sewanee Summer Music Festival to conduct its Symphony Orchestra. She has taught conducting at Montclair State University and conducted Sinfonia of Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts and currently serves on the board of the Youth Orchestra Division of the League of American Orchestras.

Her leadership and commitment to social impact through music have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Dove Leadership Award, the Angelos Artist Award, the Eastman Centennial Award, and the Empire State Youth Orchestra Golden Baton Award.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Cha-Pyo immigrated to the United States at age 12. She studied piano and organ at The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Program and holds a Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music in Choral and Orchestral Conducting and Organ Performance from the Eastman School of Music.

Learn more at helenchapyo.com.

Medium-Length Biography (Under 500 words)

Helen H. Cha-Pyo is the Music Director & Conductor of the New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS), now in her ninth season. An award-winning conductor and arts leader, she is passionate about inspiring musicians to pursue artistic excellence while discovering music’s power to connect people, cultures, and communities.

At the heart of Cha-Pyo’s work is the belief that artistic excellence and social purpose can strengthen one another. A committed champion of living and underrepresented composers, she creates innovative programs connecting music with history, culture, and contemporary social issues. Her initiatives have received support from New Music USA, American Composers Forum, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), and her adventurous programming has been recognized with ASCAP awards.

Under her leadership, NJYS has performed at Carnegie Hall’s Juneteenth Celebration concerts in 2022 and 2024, toured internationally to Italy and, most recently, Finland and the Baltic States, and released its first professional recording, Microvids, featuring music by Stefania de Kenessey with pianist Donna Weng Friedman (Navona Records, 2025).

From 2018 to 2026, Cha-Pyo served for eight years as Artistic Director of Wharton Arts, helping lead significant growth in both reach and breadth of programming while shaping a more cohesive, inclusive, and accessible artistic vision. Under her leadership, Wharton Arts expanded its jazz programs, launched lifelong learning for 55+ participants,and community theater opportunities for adults and increased free educational and community performances through Wharton Arts in the Community, and presented impactful projects including Violins of Hope at NJPAC. She also championed new music, culturally responsive programming, and cross-community partnerships.

Previously, Cha-Pyo served for 16 years as Music Director and Conductor of the Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO), leading international tours to Europe and Asia and helping launch ESYO CHIME, an El Sistema inspired free music education program for underserved youth. In recognition of her legacy, ESYO established the Helen Cha-Pyo Golden Baton Award and Scholarships.

Since 2023, Cha-Pyo has also served as Artistic Director of the Bella Music Foundation (BMF), empowering blind and visually impaired musicians through education and performance opportunities. In 2025, she conducted the BMF International Music Festival for the Blind at UNESCO House in Paris.

A sought-after guest conductor and clinician, Cha-Pyo conducts professional, All-State, regional, and festival orchestras throughout the United States and has led workshops and performances internationally. In July 2027, she will return to conduct the Sewanee Summer Music Festival Symphony Orchestra. She has taught at Montclair State University and Rutgers University and serves on the board of the Youth Orchestra Division of the League of American Orchestras.

Her honors include the Dove Leadership Award, Angelos Artist Award, and Eastman Centennial Award. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Cha-Pyo studied at The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Program and holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and the Eastman School of Music.

Learn more at helenchapyo.com.

Short Biography (Under 300 Words)

A champion of living and underrepresented composers, Cha-Pyo is known for adventurous programming that connects music with history, culture, and contemporary social issues. Her work has received support from New Music USA, American Composers Forum, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and has been recognized with ASCAP awards.

Under her leadership, NJYS has performed at Carnegie Hall’s Juneteenth Celebration concerts, toured internationally to Italy, Finland, and the Baltic States, and released its first professional recording, Microvids (Navona Records, 2025). From 2018 to 2026, Cha-Pyo served for eight years as Artistic Director of Wharton Arts, where she expanded jazz, lifelong learning, community theater, and free community programming while advancing a more inclusive and accessible artistic vision.

Previously, Cha-Pyo served for 16 years as Music Director and Conductor of the Empire State Youth Orchestra. She is also Artistic Director of the Bella Music Foundation, supporting blind and visually impaired musicians, and in July 2027 she will return to conduct the Sewanee Summer Music Festival Symphony Orchestra.

A sought-after guest conductor and clinician, Cha-Pyo has conducted and taught throughout the United States and internationally. Her honors include the Dove Leadership Award, Angelos Artist Award, and Eastman Centennial Award. She studied at The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Program and holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and the Eastman School of Music.