BOARD & STAFF
Mina Zikri, Music Director
As Founder, Music Director, and Conductor of the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago, Mina Zikri is using his considerable talents to forge relationships with artists and musical organizations throughout the world, all in the name of developing new audiences for classical music. He frequently travels with Daniel Barenboim as an assistant conductor with the West Eastern Divan Orchestra on tours that take them to prestigious Concerts Halls and Festivals in Europe and South America, such as the Salzburg Festival in Austria, The Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, and The Buenos Aires’ legendary Teatro Colón. He returns each season to his native Egypt to guest-conduct the Cairo National Symphony.
At a time when even some of the greatest orchestras in the United States are failing under the immense pressures of financial and cultural uncertainty, Zikri believes that the future of symphony orchestras can be, should be, and must be different from what everyone seems to expect.
A member of the faculty of DePaul University Community Music Division, his many career distinctions include his being named one of the twelve finalists in the 2007 Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition, where he was chosen from 223 candidates from 40 countries. He has attended the American Academy of Conducting in Aspen, Colorado, on a fellowship, and holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from DePaul University, as well as a Performance Certificate in violin.
Zikri is the Resident Conductor of Chicago’s Lira Ensemble, a Polish Company that specializes in Polish singing, music, and dance. He has recorded two Albums with Lira that include music by Chopin, Lutosławski, and other Polish and American composers.
In 2019 Zikri was named Music Director of the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra in Illinois, where he works closely with Chicago Symphony’s Concertmaster, Robert Chen, who holds the role of Artistic Creative Partner to the group.
Susanne Baker, Board Chair
Susanne Baker is the founder and director of DePaul University’s Community Music Division serving 700 students in the Chicago area. She is also an adjunct faculty member in the School of Music where she teaches piano pedagogy and coordinates the group piano program. Susanne serves on the Members Council of the National Guild for Community Arts Education, is a member of the planning committee for the 2011 Chicago Festival of Youth in Music and is the current Convener for the Chicago Consortium of Community Music Schools. She holds a B.S. in mathematics, M.A. in Education in Music, M.M. in Piano Performance and a D.M. in Performance and Pedagogy.
Joseph B. Lanuza, Secretary & Treasurer
Joseph is a retired business executive. Most recently, he was Vice President, CNA Global Mergers and Acquisitions, for CNA Financial. In that capacity, he led multi-national M&A teams globally. Prior to that, he had primary responsibility for management reports to and analytical projects for senior management and the Board of Directors and was also responsible for competitor financial analysis and valuation of companies for possible acquisition. He has a BS in History and English, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater.