Japanese-American conductor, Julius Akira Mauldin is currently an undergraduate student at the Mannes School of Music in New York City, studying Orchestral Conducting under David Hayes. A Julius Rudel Conducting Fellow, Julius is a cover conductor for the Buffalo Philharmonic and JoAnn Falletta. He is also an assistant conductor for the Mannes Orchestra, and has led performances with Mannes Orchestra, Mannes Opera, and Mannes American Composers Ensemble (MACE). Julius was a finalist in the LA Conducting Competition, and will conduct the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra during the 23/24 season. Julius is also the Founder and Artistic Director of the Westside Chamber Players, which has given concerts throughout the New York Metropolitan area, and is currently in their second season.

Passionate about new music, and particularly works by Asian American composers, Julius often engages with composers, and has given the premiers for many pieces including Martinu Prize-winning pieces A Truth Within and Live Salmon by Jiaying Li and Arjan Singh Dogra. Julius will also give performances of works by Akari Komura, Carlos Bandera, and Cole Reyes, winners of the WCP Call for Scores this season. He has also commissioned his first piece by Natsumi Osborn for his graduation concert, to be performed in May 2024. An accomplished choral musician, Julius has participated in many major productions, including performances with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, and as a featured soloist in a Lincoln Center production of Berg’s Wozzeck with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the London Philharmonia Orchestra. As a pianist, Julius started lessons with Cecilia Cho at age 16, and is now accompanist for the Mannes Prep Choruses and the Glass Menagerie. Julius currently lives in Jersey City with his family, where you can find him playing with his cats, Hime and Goemon, or thinking about tiramisu.