ABOUT

Bryan Zaros is a young American conductor recognized for his “strong musical imagination”

and “deep sense of musicality and communication". 

Bryan is the Associate Director of Music & Choirmaster at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York City, and made his conducting debut with the Cathedral Choirs at Westminster Abbey, London.  He is the Music Director of the Pro Arte Chorale, an ensemble with a 60-year legacy specializing in the performance of the great choral and orchestral masterworks, and is also the Music Director of Central City Chorus, one of New York City’s premiere avocational choirs. Recent conducting engagements have included invitations with choirs and orchestras in England, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Sweden, Argentina, Greece, Slovenia, Ireland and Romania. Most notably he has conducted concerts at David Geffen Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the American Choral Director’s Association Conferences and at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. Bryan has conducted the United Nations Symphony Orchestra as part of the opening of the 73rd Session of the General Assembly and prepared the symphonic chorus for the 2016 New York Philharmonic performance of Maurice Ravel’s Daphne et Chloe at David Geffen Hall-Lincoln Center. In addition to his concert work, he has also worked in film and was hired by Warner Bros. Studios to act as musical coach on the set of the 2019 drama, The Goldfinch. He is a recipient of several awards including those from Westminster Choir College, The University of Michigan, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Manhattan School of Music and an American Prize award in Conducting.  

Bryan began his professional musical training as a member of the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus performing in numerous operas in over a hundred performances on that stage.  Featured as a soloist on national and international television and radio including Live from Lincoln Center and the Chevron Texaco Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcasts, Bryan has also been a guest artist on the NBC Today Show.  He has performed at Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall-Lincoln Center, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Hill Auditorium, Temple Emanu-EL NYC and the Trenton War Memorial.

At the age of twelve he became the Head Chorister at the Church of the Transfiguration, New York City and was appointed the Assistant Choirmaster at that historic parish at age sixteen.  He was soon recruited by St. Bartholomew's Park Avenue, New York City to be their Assistant Choirmaster and led their choir on a tour of English Cathedrals, conducting services at Salisbury, Portsmouth, Southwark and Canterbury Cathedrals.

Devoted to scientific research in his teenage years, Bryan was a competitor in regional and national science competitions, including the historic INTEL Westinghouse competition. A recipient of the United States Air Force Award for “most promising scientist” at the age of sixteen, Bryan has also been a guest lecturer on the topic of astrobiology at symposiums hosted by SUNY Albany, Manhanttanville College and Pace University.

A native New Yorker, Bryan received a Bachelor of Music in Sacred Music from Westminster Choir College, a Master of Music in Conducting from the University of Michigan and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the Manhattan School of Music.  His mentors are named among today's leading conductors including Joseph Flummerfelt (in memoriam), Andrew Megill, Jerry Blackstone, Helmuth Rilling and Kent Tritle.  

Previously he has served on the faculties of The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, Avon Old Farms School and as the Conductor of the Archdiocesan Choir and Orchestra at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, Hartford, Connecticut. 

Among his many interests, Bryan is an avid astronomer and student of history, philosophy and theology; he enjoys adventurous hikes, jet skiing, photography, and traveling. Travels have taken him on journeys to more than 60 countries including road trips exploring India, countries in the Middle East and South East Asia and excursions visiting remote pre-Columbian ruins in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Bolivia and Peru.

Bryan currently serves on the Board of Directors of Musica Sacra New York and on the Board of Directors of the New York Choral Consortium.

Travels