A native of Lisbon, Joana Carneiro began her formal studies as a violist before receiving her undergraduate degree in orchestra conducting from the Academia Nacional Superior de Orquestra in Lisbon, where she studied with Jean-Marc Burfin. She later earned a master’s degree under Victor Yampolsky and Mallory Thomson at Northwestern University in Chicago. Ms. Carneiro is now pursing a doctorate under Kenneth Kiesler at the University of Michigan, where she has served as Music Director of the Campus Symphony and Philharmonia Orchestras. She is Music Director of the Young Musicians Foundation (YMF) Debut Orchestra in Los Angeles, and a recipient of the YMF/Broadcast Music Inc. Foundation’s Lionel Newman Conducting Study Grant. Among her professional engagements have been concerts with the Metropolitan Orchestra of Lisbon, the Beiras Philharmonic Orchestra (Portugal) and the Toledo Symphony Orchestra (Ohio). At the 1999 Macau International Music Festival in China, Ms. Carneiro conducted the Macau Chamber Orchestra and the Beijing Orchestra. She has also participated in master classes with Maestros Michael Tilson Thomas, Gustav Meier, Larry Rachleff, Christopher Wilkins, Jean-Sebastien Bereau, Roberto Benzi, and Pascal Rophe.