New York City Ballet Hired Two New Conductors
The New York City Ballet has appointed Beatrice Jona Affron and Andrew Hilary Grams to its artistic staff.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in People
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The New York City Ballet has bolstered its artistic staff by hiring Beatrice Jona Affron as Associate Music Director and Andrew Hilary Grams as Conductor in Residence. Both conductors officially joined the company for its Fall 2026 season.
Why it matters
The appointments integrate experienced leadership into the ballet's artistic team to manage its significant performance volume and extensive repertoire. The additions provide specialized expertise to help sustain the company's complex production demands.
Beatrice Jona Affron brings a 33-year conducting career to the role, while Andrew Hilary Grams joins with experience conducting on four continents. Grams also holds a personal history with the company, having previously served as a violinist for 6 years.
The players
Beatrice Jona Affron
She is the newly appointed Associate Music Director of the New York City Ballet and the former Music Director of the Philadelphia Ballet.
Andrew Hilary Grams
He is the new Conductor in Residence at the New York City Ballet and a former violinist with the organization who previously led the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
Alexei Ratmansky
He is a renowned choreographer whose upcoming production of Romeo & Juliet is slated for the 2027 Winter Season.
The details
The conductors join the artistic staff to support the organization's high volume of performances and diverse repertoire. Affron previously served as the Music Director of the Philadelphia Ballet, while Grams is the former Music Director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
Timeline
Summer 2026: Affron conducted Serenade in Saratoga Springs.
Fall 2026: Affron and Grams joined the NYCB artistic staff.
Winter 2027: Alexei Ratmansky's Romeo & Juliet production is scheduled for performance.
Market Landscape
These appointments update the artistic leadership structure of the New York City Ballet to address contemporary performance demands. The move positions the company to maintain high artistic standards as it prepares for large-scale productions like Ratmansky's Romeo & Juliet.
Patrons and subscribers can expect the new musical leadership to influence the quality and consistency of live orchestral performances during upcoming ballet seasons. These changes aim to support the company's core mission of delivering a high volume of professional dance repertoire.
The takeaway
The return of Andrew Hilary Grams highlights the importance of institutional memory in performing arts organizations. Engaging conductors with deep backgrounds in ballet specifically ensures the music aligns seamlessly with the dancers movements.
What happens next
The company is scheduled to perform Alexei Ratmansky's production of Romeo & Juliet during the 2027 Winter Season.
Further reading
For more information on organizational shifts, visit People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Playbill.
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