YAIR UPDATE: Taylor Yoon

Looking back, I have come to realize that the program provided me with much more than performance opportunities. YAIR was an introduction, a gateway into the understanding that music has the potential, the power to create meaningful relationships, strengthen communities, and open doors in ways I had never considered. That perspective has stayed with me throughout every stage of my education and career.

After graduating from the Eastman School of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance, certificates in Chamber Music and Arts Leadership, and later earning my Master of Arts in Music Leadership, I found myself returning home to Portland. Today I have the privilege of serving as Office Manager and Executive Assistant to the CEO at the Oregon Symphony, while also serving as a substitute cellist with the orchestra. In many ways, it feels like a full circle moment.

My professor at Eastman taught me that there are three universal languages: Sports, Food, and Music. The YAIR program encouraged the beginnings of fluency not only in performing, but in understanding the many ways music can serve a community. I now have the opportunity to work alongside organizations like All Classical Radio in a professional capacity, and it is incredibly rewarding to watch the program continue to grow. Knowing that future young musicians will experience the same encouragement and sense of possibility that I did is something I am deeply grateful for.

All Classical: Is there anything you learned in your time as YAIR that has helped your creativity?

Taylor: Despite the fact that it has been many years since my time as YAIR, the lessons from that experience are ones that I continue to use as a grounding foundation. Even though I had played the cello and performed since I was 5 years old, the program allowed me the opportunity to truly feel seen, encouraged, and challenged in a way that gave me the confidence to pursue a future in music.

Growing up, I often felt as if I were searching for where I belonged. I looked around and saw so many people who seemed to have already found the thing that made them exceptional, while I was still trying to understand where exactly I fit. My year as Young Artist in Residence changed that. For the first time, I felt a genuine sense of direction. Instead of wondering whether music could become my future, I began to understand that it already was.

That realization shaped my creativity in ways I still appreciate today. Creativity is not only something that happens on stage, it is also found in how we solve problems, build relationships, communicate with others, and support our communities. Whether I am performing, managing projects at the Oregon Symphony, or working behind the scenes to help make artistic work possible, I find myself approaching every challenge with the same curiosity and sense of purpose that the YAIR program encouraged from the very beginning.

Perhaps the greatest lesson I learned was that the best work occurs in an established and strong community. The people I met, the mentors who invested their time, and the encouragement I received reminded me that none of us grows alone. That has become one of the guiding principles of both my professional work and my life, and it continues to shape the way I hope to support the next generation of musicians.

All Classical: What have you been up to since your year as YAIR?

Taylor: After my year as YAIR, I left Portland to attend Eastman, beginning what became one of the most transformative chapters of my life. Like so many students, a significant part of my college experience took place during the pandemic. While it was an incredibly isolating time, it greatly reinforced something I had always believed, that music has an extraordinary ability to bring people together, even when we are physically apart. Those years challenged me, both personally and professionally, and helped shape the way I think about leadership, collaboration, and the role that arts organizations play within their communities.

Graduating, making the decision to step away from being a student after having only been that my entire life, was one of the most daunting feelings. There are so many questions about what comes next, and so many possible paths to follow. For me, one opportunity stood above the rest. Returning home to Portland to join the Oregon Symphony has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. It is a unique balance of administrative leadership and artistic work, and I genuinely love that I am able to contribute to the organization from both perspectives.

Coming home has also allowed me to reconnect with the community that helped shape me from the beginning. The arts landscape in Portland continues to grow in exciting ways, and it has been incredibly meaningful to return with new experiences while maintaining the relationships and roots that first inspired my journey.

All Classical: Do you have anything exciting coming up, or that you have been working on?

Taylor: One of the things I appreciate most about this stage of my career is that no two days look the same. Some mornings begin with coordinating schedules for the Oregon Symphony’s CEO, supporting major organizational initiatives, or helping bring concerts and events to life behind the scenes. Additionally, having the opportunity to continue to perform allows me to remain connected to the artistic side of the work that first inspired me to pursue this career.

Every responsibility, whether large or small, contributes to something much bigger than myself. How exciting is that?! It brings me an incredible amount of fulfillment to know that the work happening behind the scenes helps create meaningful experiences for audiences, musicians, students, and our community.

I am active in looking for opportunities to perform and collaborate throughout Portland. Whether I am playing at events such as TEDxPortland, supporting local arts initiatives, or working alongside colleagues who care deeply about the future of music, I feel incredibly fortunate to contribute in different ways.

Returning to Portland has reminded me how much this community values the arts and the people who make them possible. Organizations like All Classical Radio and the Oregon Symphony continue to invest in young artists, audiences, and the future of classical music, and I feel immensely lucky to be a part of that work. The excitement that I feel in continuing to grow, while giving back to the community that first encouraged me to imagine a future in music, is palpable.

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