Steps Youth Dance Company

GENERAL MANAGER

Cassandra Lake

Cassandra joined STEPS Youth Dance Company after eight years at the West Australian Symphony where she worked in various roles, most recently in Programming. In this position, Cassandra working alongside the Executive Manager, Artistic Planning with some of the world’s finest soloists and conductors to coordinate concerts in the orchestra’s annual programme of Subscription concerts as well as the Chamber Music series, Family Concerts and programmes with Pop Music Artists. Cassandra has programmed concerts with Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Shlomo Mintz, Anthony Warlow and Tommy Emmanuel. She also worked closely with Ben Folds and Augie March to develop symphonic arrangements of their music. Recordings of these concerts have been commercially released through SONY BMG.

Cassandra also managed the WASO’s commissioning and Composer-In-Residence programs, working with some of Australia’s most renowned composers including Peter Sculthorpe, Ross Edwards, Iain Grandage and James Ledger.

A graduate of the University of Western Australia, Cassandra studied Musicology and Flute performance to graduate with a Bachelor of Music (Hons). She trained in Arts Administration through the Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp Words About Music program and on a Scholarship with the WA Youth Orchestra Association (now WAYMA). On completion of the internship with WAYO, Cassandra was offered a position as their Administration Officer and a highlight of her time with the organization was the 1998 WAYO tour to Japan.

Cassandra has worked extensively in administration through her positions with the WASO and WAYO. She has also worked as a research assistant for John A. Meyer for his book “Touches of Sweet Harmony Music in The University of Western Australia 1953-1998″, and as a Festival Coordinator.