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Our History

The New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble (NYSAE) was founded in 1988 by a group of musicians to present to the public interesting orchestral music played at the highest level by an ensemble of volunteers. For more than 30 years the orchestra has played a series of five concerts each season. Our performances have spanned the full range of the orchestral and operatic repertoire, including many works not ordinarily attempted by community orchestras. The soloists that have joined us range from internationally known performers to promising students from local conservatories. The orchestra is composed of people who come from the greater metropolitan area to share their great love of music and of playing and performing together.

Our Music Director

In 2016, Eric Kramer became music director of NYSAE. He remains assistant conductor of the Bronx Opera, where he regularly conducts opening night performances and has led several New York premieres. He also officially remains music director of Collegium Westchester where, from 2000 to 2014, he conducted several performances each year of orchestral and choral/orchestral works from the Baroque though the current day.

Mr. Kramer has also served as assistant conductor to Ivan Fisher and, as a result, conducted the Budapest Festival Orchestra and the Opera National de Lyon on Numerous occasions.

He has guest conducted organizations in the US and Europe and in performances and recordings, including the Berlin Sinfonietta; the Sorrento International Music Festival Orchestra; the Bohuslav Martinů, Moravian, Plovdiv, and Ruse Philharmonics; the Kroměřiž and Solti Chamber Orchestras; and the Ukrainian State Academic Symphony Concert Orchestra; Floating Opera New York; Westchester Chorale; and the Chappaqua Orchestra in a joint concert with Collegium Westchester.

Mr. Kramer is also a composer, pianist, harpsichordist, and organist. An early significant musical accomplishment was playing his own piano concerto with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago when he was 15. He continues to compose and perform as a keyboardist, and conducts his own compositions, as well as Mozart piano concertos from the keyboard.

He has performed at special events for Prince Charles and Leonard Bernstein. For Mr. Bernstein, he composed and conducted several pieces specifically for the occasion receiving enthusiastic praise for his talent from Mr. Bernstein.

Mr. Kramer has also studied, researched, and taught physics, with a focus on relativistic quantum field theory, and is co-author of a paper in Reviews in Mathematical Physics.

Mr. Kramer holds degrees from Harvard University, University of Texas at Austin, and the Mannes College of Music. His principal teachers have included Easley Blackwood, Peter Lieberson, Micahel Charry, and Louis Lane in music; and Cécile DeWitt-Morette in physics. He received a Bruno Walter Memorial Foundation Career development Grant for 2008-09.

Our Conductor Laureate

Jose Alejandro Guzman began his career as chorusmaster of the Bronx Opera (1973-1980) and assistant conductor of the Bronx Symphony (1973-1983).

Maestro Guzman returned as music director of the Bronx Symphony from 1998 until 2014. He was already part of the Orchestra's 60-year history in his 10-year association with it from 1976 to 1986, learning and growing with the orchestra. Eventually, in 1984, he returned to Bronx Symphony for a year as its Associate Conductor and then for a season as its Principal Conductor. He gained wide experience and acclaim in the intervening time in the choral, symphonic, and operatic fields.

In 1984 he made his Carnegie Hall debut conducting the Boricus College gala 40th anniversary concert. He has been staff conductor with the Regina Opera Company since 1983.

Maestro Guzman has been the Artistic and Music Director and Principal Conductor of several groups, including the Centre Symphony Orchestra, the Regina Opera Company, the Staten Island Philharmonic, the Rockaway-Five Towns Symphony Orchestra, the New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble for ten years, and the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra. He is also in demand as a guest conductor, having performed with the Centre Symphony, the South Shore Symphony Orchestra, the Bronx Arts Ensemble, the Riverside Symphony Orchestra, the Bel Canto Opera Company, the Bronx Chamber Orchestra, the New Rochelle Opera Compamy, the Amore Opera and the Brooklyn Heights Orchestra, among many others.

The Orchestra

People Who Help 

Marsha Remland Julia Richman Liason

Neil Remland Box Office

Ellen Weiss Grantwriter and Consultant