Najib Wong, Director of PMAY Artists’ Initiative

Najib Wong (he/him) is the Director of the Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth (PMAY) Artists’ Initiative, a city-wide collaborative music pathways program involving 8 Philadelphia organizations that supports students from underrepresented backgrounds in classical music. A product of a state-funded national youth orchestra program in Singapore, he uses his experience to inform his work as an arts administrator specifically serving traditionally marginalized communities and takes advantage of his tech background to build personalized data tracking systems. The PMAY Artists’ Initiative consistently positions students to be accepted into top college music programs.

As a champion of collaborative impact, DEI initiatives and education, he has been part of multiple committees and presented on these topics at national and international events such as the Asian Artists in Discussion, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the League of American Orchestras Conference, Orchestras Canada National Conference and Sphinxconnect. He also serves on the board of the Network for New Music and advisory board of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival.

Najib received his Diploma in Information Technology from Temasek Polytechnic, his BM in Trumpet Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music and his MM and DMA from Temple University. He was on faculty at Settlement Music School and Temple University Music Prep, and Lead Teaching Artist and Orchestra Conductor at Play On Philly. His research in trumpet music has led to a publication in the International Trumpet Guild Journal entitled Honegger’s Intrada. He was also the recipient of the Armanda Ghitalla Fellowship at the Tanglewood Music Festival.

Learn more about careers in the arts