The Davenport Pops Orchestra was founded in 2005 and is the only Yale ensemble dedicated to playing symphonic popular music. From Star Wars to "The Planets", we've played it all. Entirely student-run, we have members from every residential college and from every corner of Yale's Undergraduate community. Future architects, journalists, professors, doctors, and, of course, musicians find their place within the orchestra.
Instrumentally, DPops isn't too picky. Aside from the standard set of orchestral strings, woodwinds, and brass instruments, we also feature bass guitar, piano, and even the drum set. We rehearse once a week and play four concerts a year.
Trinh Nguyen, MC '11
Co-President
Trinh is a junior Sociology major in Morse and one of the co-presidents! She plays clarinet and has served on the DPops Board since freshman year. Outside of DPops, she's also a Peer Liaison for the Asian American Cultural Center, a Bouchet Fellow, and involved with the Public Health Coalition. Feel free to contact her if you have any questions about DPops, auditions, or joining the board!
trinh.nguyen@yale.edu
Kelly Freund, TD '11
Co-President
Kelly is majoring in Sociology with a minor in Youtube. Outside of playing flute for DPops, her pursuits include such generic things as helping New Haven students, IMs, and occasionally class. She also is a member of the YPMB, PUY and is in relationship with all things aquatic and "it's complicated".
kelly.freund@yale.edu
Mike Educate, TC '11
Co-Chair, Maestro of the Moment Committee
Mike is a History and International Studies double major. WHen he's not playing his trombone with DPops and everywhere else, he participates in Yale Model Congress and the fledgling Yale Historical Society (also known as the Yale Illuminati). He is particularly interested in 19th century American history, the Civil War, and nationalism.
michael.educate@yale.edu
Jeremy Schiffres, DC '11
Co-Chair, Maestro of the Moment Committee
Jeremy is a junior majoring in political science. When not playing his trumpet with DPops, he can be found with the Conservative Party, running, or eating
jeremy.schiffres@yale.edu
Natasha Vitek, DC '11
Music Librarian
When she's not photocopying music, organizing music, hunting down music, handing out music, etc., She's probably doing something with fossils. She's the kid who still thinks that the Hall of Dinosaurs in the Peabody Museum is one of the best things about Yale. While she may not be able to help you with political theory or Arabic literature, if you were ever looking for a conversation on Cretaceous turtles or fossil feathers you now know where to go.
natasha.vitek@yale.edu
Tim Xu, BR '12
Publicity Chair
Tim is the Publicity Chair and is an Economics major. While not playing French horn and making posters for DPops, Tim plays for the Yale Concert Band, serves as the Political Chair for the Chinese-American Students Association, teaches health, makes websites (like this one!), and works as a Student Tech. He enjoys playing frisbee and basketball and football, making music, and having fun.
tim.xu@yale.edu
Charlie Sharzer, BR '12
Social Chair
Charlie is the social chair and will be in his second year with the orchestra. He plays viola and also is a member of YSO as well as political organizations where people hiss at him when he talks. He plans to double major in music composition and either astronomy and physics or political science, depending on what happens in the world between now and whenever he has to declare. In Charlie's spare time he likes to play tennis and have really really long phone conversations, and is the source for all music nobody has ever heard of.
charlie.sharzer@yale.edu
Kelly Chacon, BK '12
Orchestra Manager
Kelly is a sophomore pre-med majoring in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. Although primarily involved in DPops, Kelly also volunteers at the Yale New Haven Hospital and plays with cells in a lab. She also enjoys scuba diving, learning español, and baking strawberry-chocolate cake.
kelly.chacon@yale.edu
Nicholas Bayless, ES '10
Conductor
Nick is currently a senior in the Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry department. Outside of D-pops, he is a Photography Editor for the Yale Daily News, and is involved in other photographic pursuits on campus. He is active as an officer of the Sigma Chi Fraternity at Yale, and runs the Physician Shadowing program through the Yale Medical Professions Outreach. He's been abroad for the past two summers, first in Jaipur, India to further his studies of the Hindi language, and more recently in Accra, Ghana, where he worked on a HIV drug resistance project. Outside of this, he loves to enjoy the finer things in life, whether it be a glass of wine on a rooftop, or a Wenzel at 2 a.m.
nicholas.bayless@yale.edu
Tim Kressman, BK '12
Conductor
Tim is a sophomore in Berkeley and one of the conductors. He plays saxophone and is thrilled to have the opportunity to conduct DPops and help arrange concerts. With many interests, ranging from hanging out with friends to watching movies to eating Haagen-Dazs ice cream, he is involved in several other activities besides DPops, including the YDN, the club swimming team and intramural sports, and the Yale Film Society. This past summer Tim went to China as a Light Fellow and got to eat real Chinese food. He has not yet declared a major.
tim.kressman@yale.edu
