Artistic Director
David Commanday has become known for passionate, committed performances of the classics, popular favorites, and world-premieres. As Music Director of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, he is credited for bringing the ensemble to “a high point in its 100-year history": "Commanday... has soul. He takes risks. And he has what it takes to make his musicians soar." (Peoria Journal Star, 2005) He makes it safe for his musicians to take chances, to find the music in themselves even as they share it with the audience." (PJS, 2009)

He has guest-conducted orchestras around the world, including the National Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, and the American Symphony; the Louisville, Belgian Radio, and Vienna Pro Arte Orchestras, and the Seattle, Atlanta, and Richmond Symphonies.

Commanday started piano lessons at six, and took up the cello at nine. He graduated cum laude at Harvard University, studying psychology, music and languages. He played under Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, and Aaron Copland, and their influence led him toward conducting. At the Vienna Hochschule fuer Musik he earned the Austrian Staatsdiplom with highest honors in orchestral conducting. His early posts included Music Director, Boston Ballet, Assistant Conductor, San Diego Symphony, and Music Director of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO).

Commanday brought BYSO to the forefront, earning three ASCAP awards for programming and unprecedented critical acclaim for concerts and CD recordings. Commanday commissioned and led the BYSO world premiere of the Double Concerto by Ivan Tcherepnin, with soloists Lynn Chang and Yo-Yo Ma. The performance earned the prestigious Grawemeyer Award for the work.

He served as Associate Conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, conducting for Kathleen Battle and soloists of American Ballet Theater in the Gala Opening of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

Commanday has taught and conducted at Harvard University, Boston University, MIT, and Virginia Commonwealth University, and has conducted All-State orchestras in Massachusetts and Vermont.

In recent seasons Commanday has appeared as cellist with such artists as Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin, and Antonio Pompa-Baldi. His guest-conducting schedule this season includes the Flagstaff Symphony, Eastern Connecticut Symphony, Joffrey Ballet, and Ballet West.