Jay Fishman is a distinguished conductor and music director known for his significant contributions to making classical music accessible to students and low-income communities. Born and raised in a musical household on the North Side of Minneapolis, Fishman pursued his passion for music by earning a BS in Music Education and a BA in Music Composition from the University of Minnesota, followed by an MM in Orchestral Conducting from Indiana University. He further honed his skills under the tutelage of Sir Neville Marriner in London.

Fishman's career as a conductor began with notable positions, including Music Director and Conductor for the Louisville Chamber Orchestra from 1976 to 1978 and the Minneapolis Chamber Symphony from 1978 to 1989. In 1989, he founded the Minnesota Sinfonia, where he served as Artistic Director and Conductor for 36 years until his retirement in 2024. Under his leadership, the Sinfonia performed over 1,700 concerts, emphasizing free admission and educational programs for inner-city schools through the innovative "Music in the Schools" program, reaching approximately 200,000 students.

Throughout his career, Fishman arranged and composed around 350 works and conducted more than 1,850 performances. His dedication to the arts earned the Sinfonia numerous prestigious grants from organizations such as The National Endowment for the Arts and the Minnesota State Arts Board. Despite challenges in arts funding, Fishman's commitment to free access to music and education programs left a lasting impact on the community.