The MYSP Team
BRITTANY COOPER-D'ORSAY, Executive Director
Brittany Cooper-d’Orsay has a BFA from Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree in French Horn Performance from the University of Michigan. Brittany has worked as the Personnel Manager of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, the Musical Arts Coordinator at Rhodes College, the Manager of Education Partnerships at The Orpheum Theatre, and the Director of Operations at PRIZM Ensemble. Brittany is on the Overton Park Shell professionals board and the Board of Directors with the Hot Springs Music Festival.
Brittany is passionate about music education and hopes to grow the MYSP to its fullest potential. Brittany lives in Midtown with her husband, two dogs, and two cats.
JENNY DAVIS, Director of Operations
Jenny Davis is a musician, educator, and arts administrator from Memphis. As a former flutist in the MYSP and former board member, she is excited to work with the MYSP staff and all of the incredible young musicians in the program!
In addition to her role as Director of Operations with MYSP, she is the director, flutist, and co-founder of contemporary chamber music group Blueshift Ensemble, teaches flute and chamber music at Rhodes College, and frequently performs with the Memphis Symphony.
Jenny holds degrees in flute performance from Boston University, MTSU, and postgraduate studies with Trevor Wye at The Flute Studio in the UK. She is a doctoral candidate at the University of South Carolina.
KYLE DICKSON, Youth Symphony Conductor
American Conductor Kyle Dickson has built a reputation as an inspiring and compelling presence on the podium. In 2023, Dickson was named Assistant Conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Conductor of the Memphis Symphony Youth Orchestra. The recipient of the 2021 Grant Park Music Festival Advocate for Arts Award, the Concert Artists Guild's (CAG) Robert S. Weinart Award, and the Joel Revzen Conducting Fellowship, Dickson is also a recent Salonen Conducting Fellow with the San Francisco Symphony and the Colburn School under the guidance of Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Appointed Assistant Conductor of the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles in 2021, Dickson has appeared as guest conductor with the symphony orchestras of Detroit, San Francisco, Oakland, Wichita, and the National Symphony (Washington, DC). In 2023/24, he will return to the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and make debuts with the Minnesota Orchestra, Louisville Philharmonic, and the Pasadena, Portland (ME), and Marin Symphony Orchestras. Other recent highlights include appearances with the Festival Orchestra Napa and collaborations with acclaimed artists including Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Reena Esmail, Alexander Malofeev, and Carlos Sainz-Villegas.
SELIM GIRAY, Chamber Orchestra Conductor
Dr. Selim Giray serves as Director of Orchestral Studies at the University of Mississippi. He performed extensively in four continents and appeared frequently on radio and television. Since 2020, Dr. Giray has been serving on American String Teachers Association’s National Board as Member-at-Large. Previously, Giray served as Concertmaster and Assistant Conductor at the Ohio Light Opera. He is featured on numerous CDs and can be heard on Naxos Online Library.
Giray presented numerous times at ASTA National Conference, The Midwest Clinic, and performed two recitals at Carnegie Hall. Giray studied the violin with Eliot Chapo, former Concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and conducting with Dr. William Intriligator, Director of Dubuque and Cheyenne Symphony Orchestras.
CHELSEA SUBICK, Intermezzo Orchestra Conductor
Chelsea Subick grew up in Memphis and is an alumna of Memphis City Schools. She earned her Bachelors in Music Education, magna cum laude, from the University of Memphis in May 2012. Ms. Subick has had the privilege of leading professional development sessions within Shelby County Schools and with the West Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association. She has coached chamber ensembles at the University of Memphis Summer Music Camp and the PRIZM International Music Festival.
Ms. Subick has taught orchestra classes in Memphis City/Shelby County Schools for ten years and currently teaches at Cordova Middle School and Cordova High School. She lives in east Memphis with her husband, Joseph, and their pets, Bo and Clara.
KRISTI HARRINGTON, Prelude Strings Conductor
Born and raised in Charlotte, NC, Kristi graduated from high school from the Univ. of North Carolina School of the Arts and holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts. She also holds a Master’s Degree in music education and pedagogy from the Univ. Of Massachusetts, Amherst where she studied viola from Michelle LaCourse. Her teaching career of over 20 years includes teaching in western Massachusetts, Memphis City Schools/ Shelby County Schools, and private studio lessons. She is currently an orchestra teacher with the Memphis-Shelby County Schools teaching at White Station Middle School and various elementary schools in the district.
THOMAS RICHARDSON, Wind Ensemble conductor
Mr. Thomas Richardson is a native of Charleston, South Carolina. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Music in Education and the University of Southern Illinois with a Masters in Music- Wind Conducting. Prior to joining Collierville High School, Mr. Richardson was Director of Bands at Berkeley High School in South Carolina, where he grew the program from 50 to over 120 students. Under Mr. Richardson's direction, the Berkeley High School band program was a SCBDA marching band state finalist and received consistent Excellent ratings at Concert Performance Assessment. The BHS band program supported many performing groups including, concert band, marching band, jazz band, chamber ensembles, winter guard, and percussion ensemble. From July 2017 to July 2019, Mr. Richardson was vital to the growth of Collierville High School as the associate director of bands. Concert bands earned consistent superior ratings with the winter guards being MIA medalist in both 2018 and 2019. The jazz band became a competitive ensemble and earned its first Superior rating in 2019. Mr. Richardson assumed the role of Director of Bands in the fall of 2019 and has continued to grow the programs level of excellence.
KEVIN CARPENTER, Concert Band conductor
Kevin Carpenter is a music educator that leads bands and choirs in and around Memphis, TN. He has been at the Maxine Smith STEAM Academy since his graduation from the University of Memphis in 2018. He currently oversees their band and choir programs. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Kevin spent thousands of hours creating virtual performance opportunities for ensembles around the world. Mr. Carpenter lives in Memphis, TN with his husband Matty and their dog Rupert.
OLIVIA REMAK, Music Librarian
Olivia is a senior at the University of Memphis pursuing a Bachelor’s of Music in Instrumental Music Education and Flute Performance with a minor in Business Finance. Olivia was a Presser Scholar and is a member of the Helen Hardin Honors College, the Chicago Flute Club, the National Association for Music Educators, and the National Flute Association. For the past two summers, she served as the flute fellow at the Lutheran Summer Music Festival in Valparaiso, Indiana. She is entering into her final semester at the University of Memphis and hopes to pursue a Masters in flute performance after she graduates.