Yvette Devereaux

Born in Los Angeles, California, Yvette Devereaux is a professional conductor, violinist, composer, arranger and music educator. Ms. Devereaux earned a Doctorate of Philosophy at the Felton University, and a Masters degree in music from the Peabody Conservatory of Music (John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD) after completing her Bachelors degree from Chapman University.  She was the first African-American woman to be accepted into the conducting programs at both Chapman University and the Peabody Conservatory.She was a participant in the Carnegie Hall Corporation program for conductors with Pierre Boulez and spent two summers at the Conductors Guild Institute, held on the campus of the University of South Carolina.  She has had the opportunity to work with such prominent conductors/composers as Jacob Druckman, Harold Farberman, Daniel Lewis, Dennis De Coteau, Lukas Foss, Samuel Adler and William Kraft.  Her principal Conducting Instructors were Fredrik Prausnitz and John Koshak, & she received her violin training from Earl Carlyss (Juilliard String Quartet), Anne Thatcher, and John Sambuco, among others.

After mentorship under these great musicians, in 1993 Ms. Devereaux was chosen to compete in the Antonio Pedrotti 3rd International Competition for Orchestra Conductors in Trento, Italy (~~~). In 1997, Maestro Devereaux competed in another prestigious competition the "Mario Gusello" 4th International Conductor Competition, Pescara, Italy and was one of three Americans chosen as a Semi-Finalist .She was a finalist for the position of Assistant Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Conductor of the Minnesota Symphony and Director/Conductor of the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra. In ____ she travelled to Hong Kong, The People's Republic of China, Spain, Hawaii and various American cities, conducting the Chapman University Chamber Orchestra & Symphony on tour.  In 1995 she appeared as guest conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with the F.A.M.E. Choirs of Los Angeles & was the first African American Woman to conduct the LA phil. Soon after she was also the first woman to hold the position of Music Director/Conductor of the Southeast Community Symphony in Los Angeles.

As a Violinist, Ms. Devereaux has performed and/or recorded with many Jazz and Pop Greats such as: Chaka Khan, Erukah Badu, Stevie Wonder, T.I, Billy Higgins, Ernie Andrews, Herbie Hancock, Art Hillery, McCoy Tyner, Nancy Wilson, Teddy Edwards, Natalie Cole, Dianna Krall, and others.  In addition, she has also performed with great artists like: Justin Timberlake, Queen Latifah, Paul Anka, John Legend, James Brown, Donna Summers, Alicia Keyes, Andre Boccelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Allan Holdsworth, Alan Jackson, Isley Brothers, Smokey Robinson, John Williams, James Horner, Johnny Mandel, Celine Dion, John Clayton, Jeremy Lubbock, Frank Sinatra, Vanessa L. Williams, Whitney Houston, George Duke, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin and many others.

Most recently, she worked on Alicia Keys upcoming CD as Concertmaster in New York, and also made a special Solo Appearance with the ‘Disco Diva’ Donna Summers at the Hilton and MGM Hotel in Vegas.  The regular violinist of the band, Dr. Devereaux appeared with the Jazz Great Gerald Wilson and his Orchestra at the Thousand Oaks Performing Center and the Central Ave Jazz Festival. Adept at accompanying vocalists, she was Principal Violinist, for Luciano Pavarotti’s Orchestra in Las Vegas at the Ceasar Palace and toured with Andre Bocelli in ____. And for the screen, she Conducted the orchestra and recorded the music as Solo Violinist  for theSoundtrack and Score for the  film,  ‘Madea’s Family Reunion’  (2006) and ‘Diary of a Mad Black Women’ (2005) a Tyler Perry Movie.

Ms. Devereaux has received numerous honors and awards for her achievements such as the Community Leadership Award (Sponsored by the Christian Methodist Episcopal Los Angeles) Lifetime Honoree for Artists (Sponsored by the National Negro Woman Coalition) The Sing-a-Rama Honoree of the Year (Sponsored by the Churches of Christ, Los Angeles) Upward Bound Honoree of the Year; Who's Who in Music; The International Achievers of Tomorrow; Bank of America Scholars; Junior Achievement, USA; and several commendations from the City and County of Los Angeles, including the Mayor's Certificate of Appreciation from Mayor Tom Bradley. 

In addition to conducting, composing and performing, Ms. Devereaux is an advocate for education and the attention to young artists and is a frequent lecturer, adjudicator, educator and coach for many organizations, schools and institutions throughout the United States. She is the founder and artistic director of The Progressive Symphony and its educational component, The Progressive Arts Academy, based in Compton, California. She continues to Adopt Schools throughout Southern California providing ’from scratch’ Instrumental Music Programs, to allow children particularly in the Inner-City to have the ultimate universal experience and exposure to the arts.