Conductor and violinist Alejandro Gómez Guillén approaches music as a space for discovery, collaboration, and storytelling. As Director of Orchestras at Arizona State University—home to one of the nation’s leading orchestral programs and the largest public university in the United States—he guides a vibrant community of emerging artists and educators. Alejandro also serves as Music Director of Sphere Ensemble, a string collective known for its adventurous programming and genre-crossing commissions, including a recent world premiere by GRAMMY-nominated composer Carter Pann.

Previously, Alejandro spent two seasons as Assistant Conductor of the Omaha Symphony, participating in the Grammy-nominated premiere of Andy Akiho’s Sculptures, and seven seasons as Artistic Director of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, where he conducted the Indiana premiere of Florence Price’s Fourth Symphony and the world premiere of Mickey Tucker’s Spiritual Collage. During his tenure as Associate Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony, he led community, pops, educational, and bilingual programs, collaborating with artists such as Time for Three and mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte.

As a guest conductor, Alejandro has worked with orchestras across the U.S. and abroad, with upcoming engagements including the Orlando Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, West Texas Symphony, Tulsa’s Signature Symphony, and Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá. Highlights include performances at the Oregon Bach Festival, in works like the B Minor Mass and St. John Passion, and collaborations with renowned conductors such as Ankush Kumar Bahl, Tito Muñóz, Eric Jacobsen, Robert Spano, and Ruth Reinhardt.

Alejandro combines artistry with education, having led the Omaha Symphony’s acclaimed community and education programs, reaching 25,000 students annually. He was previously Assistant Professor of Music at Colorado Mesa University, where he taught violin, viola, and conducting while leading the university’s orchestras. Additional roles include Music Director of the Colorado Youth Philharmonia, conducting youth and collegiate orchestras, and leading historical performance projects as a violinist and conductor.

As a violinist, Alejandro has served as concertmaster with the Grand Junction Symphony and Junges Stuttgarter Bach Ensemble, performing across Europe at venues like the Rheingau Music Festival and Berlin Philharmonie. He was a returning member of the Oregon Bach Festival’s Berwick Academy for Historical Performance and plays in Duo Anthracite and Chaski Quartet with his wife, Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Cranor.

Born in Colombia and a proud U.S. citizen, Alejandro holds a Bachelor’s degree in violin performance from Texas Christian University and Master’s and Doctoral degrees in conducting and violin from the University of Colorado at Boulder. His research includes a critical edition of Jorge Pinzón’s violin concerto and a guide to using Bach’s orchestral dances for modern developing orchestras. His mentors include Gary Lewis, Helmuth Rilling, Mei-Ann Chen, and Matthew Halls.

When away from the stage, Alejandro can be found trail running, singing, or reveling in a Bach fugue—often with his family and a soundtrack by Ella, Nils Frahm, or Punch Brothers.

Jason Caslor was born and raised in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada. Caslor is

currently an Associate Professor of Music and the Director of Bands at Arizona State University (ASU). In addition to directing the Wind Ensemble, he also mentors graduate conducting students and teaches conducting courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Recent highlights include first commercial recordings of Kevin Day’s Concerto for Wind Ensemble, Nicole Piunno’s Sunflower Studies, and Carter Pann’s Double Concerto “Baroque” with the ASU Wind Ensemble.

From 2015-2019, Caslor was an Assistant Professor and the Associate Director of Bands

and Orchestras at ASU. Highlights of that time include founding the now firmly established ASU Philharmonia and being nominated for ASU’s Outstanding Master’s Mentor Award. From 2010-2015, Caslor was an Assistant Professor of Instrumental Conducting at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada where he conducted the wind ensemble and oversaw the undergraduate and graduate instrumental conducting programs. Before that, he spent three seasons as resident conductor with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (TBSO). During his tenure with the TBSO, he conducted more than 75 concerts (including a CBC Radio national broadcast) and recorded a full-length, internationally distributed CD with Canadian blues artist Rita Chiarelli.

A Conn-Selmer Educational Clinician, Caslor has guest conducted or adjudicated in

every province in Canada and throughout the United States. In addition to numerous regional

engagements, Caslor has conducted the United States Army Field Band, the National Youth

Band of Canada, the South Dakota All-State Band, the South Dakota Intercollegiate Band, and

the Alberta Wind Symphony.

A fiercely proud Canadian currently living amongst cacti, Caslor’s co-founding and

leadership over the Canadian Band Association’s (CBA) Howard Cable Memorial Prize in

Composition lead to him being the recipient of the CBA’s 2022 International Band Award. The

award recognizes those individuals who have embraced the ideals of the CBA and have

contributed to the promotion, growth and development of the musical, educational and cultural values of Canadian band outside of Canada.

As a researcher, he has presented his work at the Midwest Band and Orchestra

Clinic, the WASBE International Conference, the CBDNA National Conference, the IGEB

International Conference on Wind Music, the International Society for Music Education World

Conference, and the Riksförbundet Unga Musikanter Wind Band Symposium (Sweden).

Caslor completed his doctorate in conducting at Arizona State University. Prior to

earning a master’s in conducting from the University of Manitoba, he earned dual bachelor’s in music and education from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Jamal Duncan joined the faculty of Arizona State University in the Fall of 2020 as associate director of bands and assistant professor of instrumental conducting. His primary responsibilities are conducting the Wind Symphony and teaching classes in conducting. Duncan also serves assistant director of undergraduate music studies. Prior to his appointment at ASU, Duncan served as the assistant director of bands at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

Duncan’s research interests include conducting pedagogy, wind literature, and re-defining the traditional concert experience. He has presented on these topics at various state and international conferences including the Midwest Clinic, The World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, and the College Band Directors National Association.

Duncan is a passionate advocate for expanding the repertoire of wind bands and chamber ensembles, actively commissioning new works from both established and emerging composers. His commitment extends to programming music that reflects the rich tapestry of different cultures, with a deliberate focus on highlighting the voices of diverse composers who bring these stories to life.

In 2024 the ASU Wind Symphony gave a featured performance at the College Band Directors National Association Western/Northwestern division conference. In addition, Duncan and ensembles under his leadership have worked with composers Steven Bryant, Viet Cuong, and Kevin Day.  

A winner of the American Prize in Band/Wind Ensemble conducting, Duncan has also been a fellow at the Reynolds Conducting Institute held in conjunction with the Midwest Clinic. Duncan has conducted and adjudicated ensembles of all levels throughout the United States and internationally. 

Duncan taught in the public schools of Lansing, Michigan for seven years where was director of bands at C.W. Otto Middle School then director of bands at Dwight Rich Middle School. For eleven seasons, Duncan was the music director and conductor of the Flint Youth Wind Ensemble, one of several youth ensembles in the Flint School of Performing Arts.

Proudly hailing from Flint, Michigan, Duncan received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting and a Master of Music degree in Wind Conducting from Michigan State University, where he studied with Dr. Kevin L. Sedatole. Duncan received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Michigan with a dual emphasis in Clarinet Performance and Music Education. 

He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, The National Association for Music Education, The World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, and the College Band Directors National Association. He holds honorary memberships in Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma.

Hayoung Jeong is a Korean-born conductor and cellist currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting at Arizona State University, studying with Dr. Alejandro Gomez Guillén. She earned her Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from California State University, Long Beach, where she actively collaborated with symphony and opera ensembles, including a production of The Magic Flute. She also gained operatic experience with Music on Site in Wichita, Kansas, conducting Notes on Viardot. Her work spans both orchestral and vocal repertoire, and she has received top prizes in international competitions including the Global Young Musicians and Gabriel Fauré Music World competitions.

Conductor Serena Fornay strives to share the inspiration and humanity that stems from live, symphonic music with all audiences. Serena is honored to be pursuing a Masters Degree in Conducting Performance at Arizona State University under the instruction of Dr. Alejandro Gomez Guillén. She has participated in various conducting workshops and competitions, and is currently the Assistant Conductor for Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestras. Serena is a proud Arizona native and ASU alum.

Lauren Burchell is a Mexican-American conductor and double bassist currently pursuing her Master’s in Orchestral Conducting at Arizona State University under the direction of Dr. Alejandro Gómez Guillén and Catalin Rotaru. She previously studied at Arizona State University for her undergraduate degrees in both American History and Music. Her mentors include Julie Desbordes, Philip Greenberg, and Desmond Siu.

At present, she is the Artistic Director of the People’s Community Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble committed to providing accessible educational and pre-professional opportunities for musicians of diverse ages and backgrounds. She looks forward to developing her artistry and collaborating with the excellent musicians of the ASU Symphony Orchestra.