Korean-American conductor Nicholas Koo is rapidly gaining recognition for his unending dedication to delivering the message woven into the music. He has been praised for his passionate and profound approaches to every piece he comes into contact with. A recent graduate from the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music under the guidance of Victor Yampolsky, in the past he studied with Vance George, Director Emeritus of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, David Milnes, and Gene Chang at the University of California Berkeley. Nicholas participated in various masterclasses under renowned musical figures such as Gustavo Dudamel, David Robertson, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, leading orchestras in music of all different styles and periods. With a background in flamenco guitar performance, Nicholas strongly advocates for multicultural and contemporary music. He served as co-music director for the Atlantic Music Festival Contemporary Ensemble and the assistant conductor of the AMF Symphony Orchestra in the summer of 2017. He served as music director of the UC Berkeley Chamber Orchestra, the Berkeley Summer Symphony, as well as assistant conductor for the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra through its regular seasons.