Dr. Yi’s research focus is on ethnic studies, culturally responsive pedagogy, and EDIA (equity, diversity, inclusion, and access) initiatives as they pertain to music performance and education.
Dr. Tammy S. Yi is a first-gen conductor-educator, string pedagogy specialist, and music education scholar from Los Angeles, CA. She is the orchestra conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic YIYO Orchestra, director of Mariachi Panteras, and assistant professor of music education at Chapman University.
Dr. Yi emphasizes the significance of transformative social activism for youth in music, education, and the performing arts. She maintains an active conducting schedule with El-Sistema orchestra programs, local school communities, and All-State ensembles. In addition to conducting, she mentors pre-K–12 music teachers in the community, Teaching Artists in the YOLA program, facilitates professional development sessions, and designs music education curricula for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Dr. Yi’s research focus is on ethnic studies, culturally responsive pedagogy, and EDIA (equity, diversity, inclusion, and access) initiatives as they pertain to music performance and education. She regularly presents her work at music education and conducting conferences worldwide, gaining impressive international exposure for her and her research, including Oxford University, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, National Association for Music Education, California Music Educators Association, Sphinx Organization, and headlining the 2023 Texas Orchestra Directors Association Conference. Dr. Yi continues to serve on the American String Teachers Association’s national board to train current and future music teachers in a social justice ethos so that educators can develop culturally and community-responsive pedagogy in orchestra education. Her research has appeared in leading music education journals, including Music Education Research, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Oxford Handbook Series, and Music Educators Journal.
Prior to teaching at Colburn Conservatory, Dr. Yi taught violin and orchestra conducting at Columbia University, was the conductor of the Manhattan School of Music Pre-college Orchestra, and was an assistant professor of string education and conductor of the UA Philharmonic at the University of Arizona. Dr. Yi earned her doctorate in music and music education from Columbia University as a Florence K. Geffen Fellow, and she was awarded the Ella Fitzgerald Scholarship for her master’s degree at the University of Southern California.