Bio

Prior to her 12 years in higher education, Dr. Yi spent eight years as a music director for secondary schools in Northern California. Since then, she became the orchestra conductor and music faculty member at Vanguard University of Southern California, and currently is lecturer in conducting and music education at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. 

Recently, Mildred Yi conducted the Toyama International Contemporary Music Festival Orchestra, comprising professional musicians from various cities in Japan coming together to perform. Her past guest conducting work includes the University of California Berkeley Summer Symphony, University of California Irvine Symphony, Concordia University of Irvine Orchestra, Newport Mesa All-District Honor Orchestras, and the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra. 

Last year, she founded and conducts the Teacher Orchestra, aiming to provide continuous instrumental performance and conducting workshops to school music directors within the Los Angeles area. Likewise, she established and leads the instrumental and choral ensembles at Youngnak Church of Los Angeles, working to enhance worship service experience through traditional and contemporary sacred music.

With a leadership and teaching philosophy built on respect and dignity of people connected by shared passions and pursuits, Mildred Yi compels people to exceed desired goals by creating environments with high group morale and motivation. She believes people can only meet their full potential, intellectually and creatively, when they feel safe and challenged enough to push past their limits towards personal and collective aspirations.

Mildred Yi holds a Doctor of Education in College Teaching of Music and a Masters in Music Education from Teachers College Columbia University, a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from San Francisco State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from University of California, Berkeley.