Board of Directors & Conductors

Board of Directors

Robin Perkins

Chair

Matt Preston

Vice-Chair

Robin Oh

Secretary

Jeff Perkins

Treasurer

Lara Ruzevic

Member

Montserrat Zarco

Member

Conductors

Symphony

Hank Hyunseok Chang

Youth Symphony of Denton Music Director & Conductor

Mr. Chang has had the privilege of studying violin, viola, and orchestral conducting in South Korea, Europe, and the United States. As a violist with the Daegu Symphony Orchestra—one of South Korea’s premier professional orchestras—for ten years (1995–2005), he gained invaluable performance and leadership experience that continues to shape his approach to music education and conducting. With over 30 years of string and orchestra teaching experience across multiple countries, Mr. Chang has dedicated his career to developing young musicians and building vibrant music communities. He served for five years as a classroom teacher and band/orchestra director in South Korea, refining his technical teaching skills while deepening his passion for cultivating musical talent in diverse settings. He has also taught viola at universities in both South Korea and the United States, leading orchestras, chamber ensembles, and choirs at various educational levels.

Mr. Chang earned his Master of Music in Performance from the University of North Texas, where he studied under Maestro Anshel Brusilow (2006–2009). During his time at UNT, he focused on the interpretation of major orchestra and string master repertoire, conducting and studying works by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Respighi, Elgar, Dvořák, and Bartók. In 2009, he founded Ascolti Strings, a chamber orchestra composed of UNT alumni serving the Dallas–Fort Worth community. Ascolti Strings later evolved into the Ascolti Korean Chamber Orchestra (AKCO) in South Korea, where Mr. Chang has led the ensemble to significant success. Under his direction, AKCO released a live CD featuring Dvořák’s Serenade for String Orchestra and completed a successful concert tour in Kobe, Japan, in 2016. The orchestra continues to foster international musical collaborations, including a 2025 partnership with the Pegasus Choral Society of Dallas College in Daegu, South Korea. Expanding his professional scope, Mr. Chang served as Wind Ensemble Conductor of the Hanwoolim Wind Symphony in Daegu (2014–2016). Under his leadership, the ensemble earned recognition as one of the region’s leading community wind groups and won a prestigious competition at the Sejong Art Center in Seoul in 2016.
After returning to Texas in 2017, Mr. Chang founded the Youth Symphony of Denton in 2019 and the Denton Community Orchestra in 2021. He has also organized and conducted international music festivals, collaborating with musicians from the Czech Republic, South Korea, Japan, and Texas. In the summer of 2023, the Youth Symphony of Denton toured South Korea, performing alongside the Daegu International Youth Symphony. In July 2024, he led a team from Denton Campus Theatre in a production of Singin’ in the Rain at the Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF), presenting five performances to audiences totaling over 7,000.
Since joining Dallas College in 2022 as a full-time temporary and adjunct faculty member, Mr. Chang has successfully expanded the college’s ensemble program. What began with four string players in Fall 2022 has grown into two instrumental ensembles and a choir by 2024. He remains deeply committed to fostering musical excellence and nurturing the next generation of musicians. Mr. Chang looks forward to continuing to inspire and develop young artists, contributing his extensive experience and passion for music education to the growth of emerging musicians at YSD.
For Music, Future Musicians, and Music Lovers!

Philharmonic

Rob Amberson

Youth Symphony of Denton Conductor

Mr. Rob Amberson is a lifelong violinist, musician and educator with a deep appreciation for the art of music and the process of learning. He is especially interested in how problems are identified, broken down, and solved—including the challenges encountered in music-making. He is equally fascinated by music’s unique ability to move us in ways that words cannot fully express.Mr. Amberson believes that enjoying the act of making music is the true measure of a successful musician. In addition to conducting the Youth Symphony of Denton's Philharmonic, he serves as concertmaster of the Denton Philharmonic.Outside of music, Mr. Amberson enjoys gardening, poetry, spending time with his grandchildren, birdwatching, collecting and burning wood, and preparing and sharing good food with others.

Beginners & Strings

Damia Cleaver

Youth Symphony of Denton Executive Director & Conductor

Mrs. Cleaver brings more than 20 years of experience as a private music instructor, including the past decade serving students within the Denton Independent School District. As a co-founder of the Youth Symphony program and Executive Director, Mrs. Cleaver oversees its day to day operations and supports the continued growth of its students and programs. She also serves as a conductor and instructor for the program’s younger orchestras, including the String Orchestra and Beginning Orchestra.
A violist by training, Mrs. Cleaver has performed with both the Sherman Symphony Orchestra and the Richardson Symphony Orchestra. Today, she devotes her time to nurturing young musicians through the Youth Symphony program and teaching private students in her home.
Mrs. Cleaver is especially passionate about working with students who are just beginning their musical journey. She takes great pride in helping young musicians establish a strong technical foundation, develop confidence, and discover the joy of making music. One of the most rewarding aspects of her work is watching students progress through the Youth Symphony program and seeing their skills and musicianship flourish over time.
A proud native of Denton, Mrs. Cleaver is married to Victor, a talented multi-instrumentalist with expertise in percussion, guitar, bass, and piano. Together, they have two adult children, Emily and Matthew.

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