Our Staff
Leadership
Doug Elmore
- Music Director and Conductor, Symphony Orchestra
- Staff member since 2014
Doug Elmore brings to the podium over thirty-five years of outstanding musical leadership in the Midwest. He has conducted Youth Orchestra and school orchestra performances across North America and Europe, including performances in New York’s Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.
Bio
As a conductor, Mr. Elmore’s performances have been described as “Vibrant, stunning, and brilliant,” “outstanding and amazing,” and “fiery, clean, and still elegant.” Mr. Elmore is in his 36th year as Orchestra Director of the Floyd Central High School Orchestra and the Highland Hills Middle School Orchestras, instructing 5 orchestras and over 350 students daily. In addition to his duties with the Floyd County schools, Mr. Elmore recently served as Music Director of the Floyd County Youth Symphony (IN) for 24 years. He has been with the LYO for the past 9 years, 3 with the Repertory Orchestra. He has led his school orchestras to more than 100 Superior (Gold) ratings over the past 36 years. During this same time, the FCHS Orchestra has performed at the last thirty ISSMA State Finals Contests (an Indiana State record), earning State Champion honors in 1995 and 2017, and Runner-up honors in 1996, 1998, and 2016. Elmore has conducted orchestras at 10 Indiana Music Educators Association Conventions over the past 30 years.
An active clinician and guest conductor, Mr. Elmore has served on the staff at the Great Lakes Music Camp, the Kentuckiana Music Festival at University of Louisville, and the “Music for All” camp at Ball State University. He has conducted All-County and All-Region Orchestras and clinics throughout Indiana, Kentucky, and Salem, OR. In 2017, he conducted the Commonwealth Strings All-State Orchestra for Kentucky, and the Jefferson County (KY) All-County Middle School Orchestra. He served on the faculty of the internationally known Aebersold Jazz Workshops. He has served on the faculty of both Bellarmine University and the University of Louisville. He has recently been published (“Making Tone a Priority”) in the IMEA journal. In 2019, he was a quarterfinalist for the Grammy Awards “Music Educator of the Year”.
A graduate of DePauw University (IN), Mr. Elmore completed his graduate work at the University of Louisville in 2001. As a performer on the double bass, Mr. Elmore has worked with the Louisville Orchestra, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Derby Dinner Playhouse, the Jerry Tolson Quartet, the Ron Jones Quartet, the Mike Tracy Trio, the Platters, and the Sarah Stivers Quartet. Mr. Elmore has been featured on jazz recordings by University of Louisville faculty members Jerry Tolson and Mike Tracy.
In December 2022, Mr. Elmore was recognized by “School Band and Orchestra” magazine as one of 50 Directors Who Made a Difference in America. In 2020, he was selected as Indiana’s “Music Educator of the Year” by the Indiana State School Music Association. In 2011, he was selected as Floyd Central High School’s “Teacher of the Year.” He was recognized by the ASTA as Indiana’s High School Orchestra “Teacher of the Year.” He has been awarded an Eli Lilly Endowment “Teacher Creativity Fellowship.” He has been recognized with a WHAS TV ExCel Award for “Excellence in the Classroom and Educational Leadership.”
Mr. Elmore currently resides in New Albany, IN with his wife of thirty-two years, April.
Matthew Vanover
- Executive Director
- Staff member since 2023
Bio
Matthew joined LYO in Summer of 2023 after a five-month long nationwide search. After graduating at the University of Evansville with degrees in music, Matthew went on to lead several church music programs oriented toward community engagement, growth and support for community music educators. Matthew came to LYO after leading more than forty artistic and administrative staff members at the Immanuel School of Music in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region. Immanuel School of Music is a full-featured private music school providing private instruction and a graded string orchestra program to more than 700 students. The schools outreach program, Mozart Strings, sends string music educators into 20 area elementary schools to provide entry level music eduction to approximately 350 third-grade students. LYO’s partnership with Matthew stems from a shared desire to see LYO continue to grow upon the organization’s six decades of success.
Matthew is an accomplished pianist, organist and conductor whose musical journey began at a very young age in rural Western Kentucky. After a difficult childhood losing his father to cancer at the age of seven, music became a forever faithful friend. Owing much of his success to his educators, Matthew moved toward the non-profit music education space in a desire to provide today’s children many of the same outlets that were so beneficial to him as a child. As an arts administrator, Matthew is able to influence lives a countless students and help move entire communities toward more engaging music education.
Matthew lives in the Greater Louisville area with his family. Matthew’s wife, Jessica, is a public school music educator at Painted Stone Elementary School in Shelby County. Their son, Charles, is the life of the party! All together, the Vanover’s are avid Cincinnati Reds and Bengals sports fans.
Conductors
Doug Elmore
- Music Director and Conductor, Symphony Orchestra
- Staff member since 2014
Doug Elmore brings to the podium over thirty-five years of outstanding musical leadership in the Midwest. He has conducted Youth Orchestra and school orchestra performances across North America and Europe, including performances in New York’s Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.
Bio
As a conductor, Mr. Elmore’s performances have been described as “Vibrant, stunning, and brilliant,” “outstanding and amazing,” and “fiery, clean, and still elegant.” Mr. Elmore is in his 36th year as Orchestra Director of the Floyd Central High School Orchestra and the Highland Hills Middle School Orchestras, instructing 5 orchestras and over 350 students daily. In addition to his duties with the Floyd County schools, Mr. Elmore recently served as Music Director of the Floyd County Youth Symphony (IN) for 24 years. He has been with the LYO for the past 9 years, 3 with the Repertory Orchestra. He has led his school orchestras to more than 100 Superior (Gold) ratings over the past 36 years. During this same time, the FCHS Orchestra has performed at the last thirty ISSMA State Finals Contests (an Indiana State record), earning State Champion honors in 1995 and 2017, and Runner-up honors in 1996, 1998, and 2016. Elmore has conducted orchestras at 10 Indiana Music Educators Association Conventions over the past 30 years.
An active clinician and guest conductor, Mr. Elmore has served on the staff at the Great Lakes Music Camp, the Kentuckiana Music Festival at University of Louisville, and the “Music for All” camp at Ball State University. He has conducted All-County and All-Region Orchestras and clinics throughout Indiana, Kentucky, and Salem, OR. In 2017, he conducted the Commonwealth Strings All-State Orchestra for Kentucky, and the Jefferson County (KY) All-County Middle School Orchestra. He served on the faculty of the internationally known Aebersold Jazz Workshops. He has served on the faculty of both Bellarmine University and the University of Louisville. He has recently been published (“Making Tone a Priority”) in the IMEA journal. In 2019, he was a quarterfinalist for the Grammy Awards “Music Educator of the Year”.
A graduate of DePauw University (IN), Mr. Elmore completed his graduate work at the University of Louisville in 2001. As a performer on the double bass, Mr. Elmore has worked with the Louisville Orchestra, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Derby Dinner Playhouse, the Jerry Tolson Quartet, the Ron Jones Quartet, the Mike Tracy Trio, the Platters, and the Sarah Stivers Quartet. Mr. Elmore has been featured on jazz recordings by University of Louisville faculty members Jerry Tolson and Mike Tracy.
In December 2022, Mr. Elmore was recognized by “School Band and Orchestra” magazine as one of 50 Directors Who Made a Difference in America. In 2020, he was selected as Indiana’s “Music Educator of the Year” by the Indiana State School Music Association. In 2011, he was selected as Floyd Central High School’s “Teacher of the Year.” He was recognized by the ASTA as Indiana’s High School Orchestra “Teacher of the Year.” He has been awarded an Eli Lilly Endowment “Teacher Creativity Fellowship.” He has been recognized with a WHAS TV ExCel Award for “Excellence in the Classroom and Educational Leadership.”
Mr. Elmore currently resides in New Albany, IN with his wife of thirty-two years, April.
Michele Barbosa
- Conductor, Repertory Orchestra
- Staff member since 2024
Bio
Michele has performed as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician across North America, South America and Europe. In Brazil, Michele was an active orchestra musician in the main orchestras of Sao Paulo, including the Experimental Repertoire Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Michele participated in acclaimed international festivals of Brazil, such as Campos do Jordao International Festival and Santa Catarina International Festival, and performed in several venues throughout the Czech Republic and Italy.
Michele is the Orchestra Director at the Youth Performing Arts School, holds a private teaching studio, and regularly performs with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, chamber groups around Louisville, and other regional orchestras in KY. During her free time, she shares her love for cooking, hosting dinner parties with her husband, friends, and even with her 17-year old cat, Elly.
Chris Lerner
- Conductor, Concert Orchestra
- Staff member since 2000
Chris Lerner received his bachelor of music degree in violin performance from the University of Louisville, where he was proud to have studied under Peter McHugh.
Bio
He has been a registered Suzuki violin teacher since 2001. Chris has benefited from working with fellow conductors Deanna Tham, Jason Seber, Robert Franz, and Doug Elmore at the Louisville Youth Orchestra.
Over the past eighteen years, Mr. Lerner has filled many roles for the Louisville Youth Orchestra: Director of the Presto! Strings Program, Director of Sonatina Strings Program, Conductor of the Serenade Orchestra, Conductor of the Concert Orchestra and Conductor of the Camerata Orchestra. Mr. Lerner was also excited to be a part of the fiftieth and the recent sixtieth anniversary of the Louisville Youth Orchestra. Currently, Mr. Lerner is in his fifteenth year as the Director of Strings for the middle and upper school string programs at Louisville Collegiate School. In addition to teaching daily string classes, Mr. Lerner enjoys arranging classic rock and roll tunes for his middle and upper school classes. He also leads the middle and upper school rock bands. In 2013, Mr. Lerner received Louisville Collegiate School’s Katherine McCracken Davis Distinguished Teaching Chair. Mr. Lerner has judged large ensemble contests for Jefferson County, Ky and has been invited to judge small and large ensemble contests for Owensboro, Ky. For the second time, Mr. Lerner will be conducting one of the All-County high school orchestras this winter, and he has accepted a position to conduct an event next fall for the East Tennessee Orchestra festival in Tennessee. In his spare time, Mr. Lerner enjoys teaching a studio of twenty violin and viola students aged five through eighteen years old.
Mr. Lerner currently lives in Louisville with his wife Erin Fry Lerner, his two sons Bobby(8), Stash(6), and daughter Hazel (3 years).
Matthew Lane
- Beginning Strings Director (Presto!, Presto! II, and Serenade)
- Staff member since 2024
Matthew Lane is an Educator, Violinist, Conductor, and Luthier based in Louisville, Kentucky. He joined LYO as a middle school student in 1996 and continued through his Senior Year of High School.
Bio
He studied Anthropology and Music at Centre College where he graduated in 2006. Following an apprenticeship, Mr. Lane opened the St Matthews location of Lane & Edwards Violins while continually planting and teaching beginning strings classes throughout the Greater Louisville area. In these capacities, Matt has had the privilege of working with students through many wonderful organizations including The Oldham County Schools Arts Center, The Virginia Chance School, The Louisville Youth Orchestra, Montessori School of Louisville, The Louisville Collegiate School,The Louisville Suzuki Association, and more. Mr. Lane is also cofounder of the Concentus String Quartet, past Concertmaster of the Louisville Philharmonia Orchestra, and a past Conductor of the Kling Chamber Orchestra, a non-profit with a core mission to bring orchestral performances into nursing and care facilities. Matt lives in the Highlands neighborhood of Louisville with his wife, Elizabeth, three children, as well as two cats, and is extremely excited to be returning to the LYO as the Director of Beginning Strings!
Brandon Bell
- Conductor, Horizons Winds
- Staff member since 2019
Brandon Bell is a Louisville based saxophonist and music educator, holding a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Kennesaw State University.
Bio
Chris Schmidt
- Conductor, Horizons Brass
- Staff member since 2022, earlier positions held beginning in 2011
Chris Schmidt is currently the conductor for the Louisville Youth Orchestra Horizons Brass Choir and he also is the instructor of low brass at Indiana University Southeast. He has been a low brass instructor in the Louisville KY Metro Area since 2008.
Bio
There have been several of his ensembles that have performed at major conferences including the IUS Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble at the 2023 International Euphonium-Tuba
Festival, the Youth Performing Arts School Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble at the ITEA Midwest Regional Tuba-Euphonium Conference in 2022, and the Oldham County High School Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble was selected to perform at the 2013 and 2021 KMEA Conference. Several of his private students from various local high schools have earned placements in the Kentucky and Indiana All State Bands as well as National Honor Bands including the John Philip Sousa National High School Honor Band.
Mr. Schmidt attended the University of Louisville and earned a degree of Master of Music Performance with an emphasis in Wind Ensemble Conducting in May of 2010. While at U of L he studied conducting with Dr. Fred Speck and tuba with Mr. John Jones. Mr. Schmidt was also a guest tuba soloist with the University Concert Band when he performed The Fantasia for Tuba and Band by James Curnow under the direction of Dr. Greg Byrne. Prior to his time at Louisville Mr. Schmidt attended Morehead State University where he held the position of Principal Tuba in the MSU Symphony Band and earned two degrees, a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Arts in Secondary Education. Mr. Schmidt was the chapter president of the International Tuba Euphonium Association. He was also awarded placements on the MSU Dean’s List, the KY Intercollegiate Band, the CBDNA Southern Division Intercollegiate Band, and the Lexington Brass Band. His primary teachers at MSU included euphonium virtuoso Dr. Earle Louder and tuba professor Dr. Stacy Baker as well as wind band conducting lessons with Dr. Richard Miles. After graduating from MSU, Mr. Schmidt taught instrumental music for eight years before beginning a freelance music career which has included solo recitals at the International Euphonium Tuba Festival in 2023 and several appearances as a guest soloist with wind ensembles and brass bands around the Louisville, KY Metro Area.Mr. Schmidt’s business CP Schmidt Music, LLC operates out of Louisville, KY where he operates a studio with sixty private students and creates marching band drill designs and music arrangements for several high school and college band programs. He also serves as an adjudicator
for marching band contests, concert band, and solo and ensemble festivals. Mr. Schmidt also performs with Chamber Winds Louisville, the Derby City Brass Band and the Indiana University Southeast Band and Orchestra.
Mark Tate
- Conductor, Percussion Ensemble
- Staff member since 2004
Bio
Mark was the first percussionist to receive a performance degree from this university. Mark received a Master of Music in Performance and Pedagogy from Washington University in St. Louis MO, studying with Richard O’Donnell, Principal Percussionist of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. While in St. Louis, he also studied with John Kasica and Tom Stubbs of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He performed frequently with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, joining them in 2 east coast tours that included performances in Carnegie Hall. He was also a percussionist with the Might Mississippi Concert Band, Gateway Festival Orchestra, Springfield (IL) Symphony, and staff percussionist at the Westport Playhouse. While in St. Louis he taught drums and percussion at Clayton Academy of Music, Drum Headquarters and was a teaching assistant at Washington University.
Mark began performing as a percussionist with the Louisville Orchestra in 1983. He has also performed as percussionist with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra and the Broadway Series at the Kentucky Center for the Arts. He currently serves as percussionist with the Louisville Chorus, the Louisville Concert Band and the Louisville Civic Orchestra. He frequently free- lances as a percussionist with various churches, ensembles and chamber groups in the Louisville area.
Mark is the percussion instructor at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany IN. He also services as the percussion coordinator and percussion ensemble director for the Louisville Youth Orchestra. He maintains a full service studio in his home, specializing in concert percussion instruction for students in area band programs. He also coaches and coordinates percussion sectionals at many of the areas high schools and middle schools,
Mark has an avid interest in the history of southern Americana music and its influences on culture. Favorite styles include blues, rock, country, and jazz.
Mark is the LYO representative for the Fund for the Arts 5×5 and TAG Visiting Artist in Residence program. Using his “Percussion Around the World” presentation, he demonstrates percussion instruments and techniques from around the globe to explore different cultures through the use of music, movement, visual arts, geography, math and history.
Carl Kling
- Conductor, Symphonic Winds Ensemble & Concert Winds
- Staff member since 2024
Carl Kling has been active in music education since 1993. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Texas Wesleyan University (Fort Worth, TX) and a Master of Music Degree in Conducting and Clarinet Performance from Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, TX).
Bio
Additional postgraduate studies at the Jacobs School of Music (Bloomington, IN) round out his formal education. Carl’s career path has offered opportunities to work with students at all levels, from beginners to advanced collegiate education in Texas, Missouri, and Kentucky.
Carl is currently the Director of Bands at Ballard High School, a position held since 2015. In that capacity, he is responsible for guiding the Ballard Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Bruin Marching Band. He guides the Musical Orchestra through its annual performances with an ‘all school’ cast and crew. Prior appointments include Fern Creek High School, Northwest Missouri State University (Maryville), Cleburne, Crowley, and Georgetown High School in Texas. His ensembles have performed across the county, in London (New Year Celebration 2008), the Kentucky Music Educators Association, and the Nebraska Music Educator Association.
As a performer, Carl has been a contributing member of numerous ensembles, including the Fort Worth Civic Orchestra, Fort Worth Concert Band, Lone Star Wind Orchestra, Brazos Chamber Orchestra (founding member), Fabulous Forties Jazz Orchestra, Cleburne Community Chamber Players, Carnegie Players (Musical Theater), and The Louisville Winds. In addition to his new appointment with the Louisville Youth Orchestra, Carl serves as the Conductor and Musical Director of the Derby City Brass Band – a British-style brass and Percussion Ensemble with a 20-year tradition of serving the Louisville region.
Carl’s interest in chamber music developed in undergraduate school and has been a driving force in his philosophy of music education. While at Cleburne High School, he cultivated a thriving Chamber Winds project with more than 95% voluntary student participation in the study of orchestra wind literature and performance. The serenades of Mozart, the wind works of Richard Strauss, and the brass works of Gabrielli formed the basis of their instruction and development.
Carl’s musical influences have been shaped by many dear friends, colleagues and mentors, including Donald Beckie & James Campbell (clarinet), Ray Cramer, Steven W. Pratt, John Whitwell, Kevin Sedatole, and Steve Erich (conducting), and many others.
Carl resides in Louisville and is supported by his friends and family, including his daughter Elizabeth and son Mark.
Program Directors
Matthew Lane
- Beginning Strings Director (Presto!, Presto! II, and Serenade)
- Staff member since 2024
Matthew Lane is an Educator, Violinist, Conductor, and Luthier based in Louisville, Kentucky. He joined LYO as a middle school student in 1996 and continued through his Senior Year of High School.
Bio
He studied Anthropology and Music at Centre College where he graduated in 2006. Following an apprenticeship, Mr. Lane opened the St Matthews location of Lane & Edwards Violins while continually planting and teaching beginning strings classes throughout the Greater Louisville area. In these capacities, Matt has had the privilege of working with students through many wonderful organizations including The Oldham County Schools Arts Center, The Virginia Chance School, The Louisville Youth Orchestra, Montessori School of Louisville, The Louisville Collegiate School,The Louisville Suzuki Association, and more. Mr. Lane is also cofounder of the Concentus String Quartet, past Concertmaster of the Louisville Philharmonia Orchestra, and a past Conductor of the Kling Chamber Orchestra, a non-profit with a core mission to bring orchestral performances into nursing and care facilities. Matt lives in the Highlands neighborhood of Louisville with his wife, Elizabeth, three children, as well as two cats, and is extremely excited to be returning to the LYO as the Director of Beginning Strings!
Loren Been
- Student Experience & Operations Coordinator
- Staff member since 2022
As a dedicated flutist, educator, and creator, Loren Been finds joy in connecting with others through the language of Music.
Bio
With a strong educational foundation from the University of Kentucky and the University of North Dakota, Loren is on a mission to combine her passion for people with her passion for music.
Currently serving as the Student Experience and Operations Coordinator with the Louisville Youth Orchestra, Loren is actively involved in providing extraordinary musical experiences to young musicians. Through this role, she contributes to the development and growth of aspiring students, fostering a love for music that goes beyond the notes on the page.
Beyond the world of music education, Loren loves to spend time with her family, including her husband, Denver, and their two dogs, Maxwell and Valerie. Outside of LYO, you will find Loren and Denver frequenting coffee shops, exploring new places, and indulging in their shared passion for cooking. Whether experimenting with new recipes inspired by their travels or enjoying cozy dinners at home, the kitchen is another creative space where Loren finds joy in bringing people together through the art of food.
