In May 2000, Opera America honored Encompass and Founding Artistic Director Nancy Rhodes for "25 Years of Dynamic Leadership." Well-known Pianist and Conductor Mara Waldman is the Music Director/Conductor of Encompass, and Thomas Carlo Bo, William Boswell, Norman Carey, Glen Cortese, Nicholas DeMaison, Jack Gaughan, Kenneth Hamrick, Paulette Haupt, Charles Prince, Mark Shapiro, Julian Wachner, Sybille Werner, David Wolfson, and John Yaffe (who served as Music Director/Conductor for 13 seasons) have conducted productions with Encompass.