TYRONE CLINTON JR.
Conductor ⧫ Artist ⧫ Educator
Tyrone is the founder and artistic director of The Unsung Collective Inc., a nonprofit organization devoted to celebrating people of color in Western art music in New York City. Just this season, Tyrone led The collective alongside the New York Philharmonic in the historic Mother AME Zion Church. Under his leadership, the Collective made their Lincoln Center debut, becoming the first predominantly Black ensemble to perform for the Mostly Mozart Festival in its 50+ year history, and held a residency at the Center for Art, Research and Alliances premiering Neo Muyanga’s exhibition A Mass of Cyborgs.
He pioneered the World Trade Center’s first Juneteenth Celebration in June, 2021 and made his conducting debut at Lincoln Center in Search for Spring, premiering a commissioned work by Jonathan Dove addressing climate change. Tyrone been featured on CBS News with Cindy Hsu, PIX11 News with Hazel Sanchez and Dan Mannarino, NY1 with Ron Lee, WQXR Radio, and was a recurring featured guest on SiriusXm Satellite Radio, discussing the current state of Black music, Afro-Latin identity, and contemporary Western art.
Tyrone has been featured on several projects in the United States. Most favorable engagements include conducting for the 10th Anniversary of Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Performa 2023 in collaboration with artist Nikita Gale in The Other Seasons, Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No. 3 for the American Cancer Society, leading his Strange Fruit concert in honor of police brutality victims in Chicago, and recording on the soundtrack for Spike Lee’s movie Miracle at St. Anna.
Known for his pedagogical work, Tyrone is a desired clinician having prepared the New York Philharmonic Youth Orchestra for Gustavo Dudamel, several choirs under the New York Philharmonic Education Program, and is an adjudicator for Choirs Of America.
He served as conductor of Northwestern University’s Women’s Choir and University Chorus, and worked as chorus master alongside conductor John DeMain in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, as well with resident conductor of the Los Angeles Opera, Grant Gershon. Other notable conducting engagements include Cornell University Chamber Singers, the Atlanta University Center Orchestra, both Morehouse College and Spelman College Glee Clubs, and Clark Atlanta University’s Philharmonic Society.
An accomplished singer, Tyrone recently premiered Julia Wolfe’s unEarth as part of The Crossing, alongside the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in June 2023. In previous engagements, he has shared the stage with Denyce Graves, Jessye Norman, Andrea Bocelli, Il Divo, Idina Minzel, the late Aretha Franklin, and the late Bo Diddley. Additionally, he has performed in the presence of two United States presidents, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Other notable choral performances include singing with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus and the Columbus Symphony Chorus.
Tyrone was a recipient of the Frank Huntington Beebe Fund for Musicians, allowing dissertation research while living in Mexico and Spain. Tyrone’s dissertation bore his article, Black in the Baroque, published in the choral Journal in 2021. As a contributor to scholarship in the Western art world, Tyrone has lectured at several institutions including New York University, Indiana University, Bard College, Longy School of Music, Syracuse University and University of Missouri.
A native of Brooklyn, Tyrone rejoins the classical music scene in New York City. He is a graduate of Northwestern University (DMA), Ohio State University (MM), and Morehouse College (BA), and has a diverse career as an educator, lecturer, and conductor.