Maria Peña
Assistant Conductor
Maria Peña is an Assistant Conductor of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, where she is the principal conductor of YPC’s Intermezzo division and oversees YPC’s two after-school community choruses: YPC at Washington Heights and YPC at Goddard Riverside. In addition, Maria is a conductor in YPC’s School Choruses program, which brings YPC’s unique music curriculum into New York City schools, and is the recipient of a 2019 PASEsetter Award for her commitment to children’s education. A native of Colombia, Maria came to YPC in 2012 from the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus Training Choir, where she conducted the ensemble. She completed three levels of the Choral Music Experience Institute with Doreen Rao and holds a Bachelor of Music summa cum laude in voice performance from the University of North Florida, where she was assistant conductor of the UNF Chorale, the UNF Chamber Singers, and co-conductor of the Women’s Chorale.