About Us

Maestro Fischer has embraced the mission of the Haitian Orchestra Institute since its inception in 2017 and has conducted concerts in Jacmel and Cap-Haïtien.

He considers this educational outreach a long-term project and is fully committed to continue conducting and inspiring the talented and dedicated music students of the HOI. In a 2018 op-ed piece in USA Today, Maestro Fischer wrote, “I am so proud of the Musicians of the Utah Symphony for bringing us there (to Haiti) in the first place. We are an orchestra — just one American organization, committed to both our work in America and in developing countries like Haiti, and to the notion of sharing what sounds can bring. We hope to inspire our leaders through our actions.”

In 2016, Mr. Eckstein co-founded the Haitian Orchestra Institute with Yuki MacQueen and Janet Anthony.

Designed to give Haiti’s most advanced orchestral musicians and teachers the opportunity to work with professionals from the Utah Symphony, the annual weeklong workshop provides a training platform never before available in Haiti.

Cellist John Eckstein joined the Utah Symphony in 1990 after previously serving as Associate Principal Cello of the New Orleans Symphony and Principal Cello of the Omaha Symphony. He has also served as Principal Cellist of the Auckland Philharmonia in New Zealand and been a member on the University of Utah music faculty since 1992.

In 2016, Ms. MacQueen co-founded the HOI with John Eckstein and Janet Anthony.

Violinist Yuki MacQueen joined the Utah Symphony in June 2000. Previously a member of the Nashville Symphony, the San Antonio Symphony, and Associate Concertmaster of the Knoxville Symphony, she was also a frequent substitute member of the Pittsburgh Symphony prior to joining the Utah Symphony. She has been violin Adjunct Faculty at Westminster College since 2004.

Ms. MacQueen received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, and a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School in New York.

Janet Anthony’s first trip to Haiti, to teach at the Holy Trinity Music School summer music camp, was in 1996.

She has returned every year since to work with young musicians across the country. The first holder of the George and Marjorie Olsen Chandler Professorship in Music, Ms. Anthony has recently retired after 34 years as the cello professor at Lawrence University. Over the years, she brought more than seventy Lawrence University students and faculty colleagues to Haiti to teach in some of the many music programs with which she has been involved. She has also enabled the travel of a number of key Haitian music teachers and students to the United States for short-term professional development.