The 2024-2025 Anderson Symphony Orchestra season features our Artistic Director candidates as guest conductors.
● Each candidate will go through a rigorous week of interviews and meetings with musicians, ASO board and committee members, and staff.
● Each candidate has programmed a concert which he/she will rehearse and conduct.
● The ASO Musicians, ASO Board, and audience members will receive surveys following the candidate’s concert.
● Our new ASO Artistic Director will be chosen from these responses and offered the position.
Guest Conductor Todd Craven, currently Music Director/Conductor of the NW Florida Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra, conducts an array of dance-inspired music from around the world! Violinist Leila Warren joins the orchestra in the dazzling “Carmen Fantasy for Violin,” and a selection of popular dance-themed works from Hungary to Argentina showcases the immense talent of the Anderson Symphony Orchestra!
Meet the artistic director candidate and guest conductor: Todd Craven
Known for his creative programming, vibrant podium presence and spirit of collaboration, American conductor Todd Craven is Music Director/Conductor of the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra. In both communities, he has brought a heightened level of collaboration and audience engagement, bringing his musical sensitivity and passion for contemporary music and advocating for the 21st century orchestra through creative programming that introduces symphonic music to people from all walks of life.
Todd’s recent guest conducting engagements have included Handel’s Messiah with the Jacksonville Symphony, a series of sold-out holiday concerts with The Florida Orchestra, and a return engagement with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra at Steinmetz Hall. Recently, Mr. Craven has shared the stage with operatic tenor Lawrence Brownlee, violinist Rachel-Barton Pine and pianist Anne-Marie McDermott and was invited to assist on a recording projects with Eric Jacobsen and legendary artists Gil Shaham and Bela Fleck with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. This summer, Todd will return to conduct a series of outdoor concerts with the Virginia Symphony, and is also invited to guest conduct the Goiânia Symphony Orchestra of Brazil. Other conducting highlights have included engagements with the Detroit Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, Peabody Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Theatre at Illinois and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Craven’s accomplishments include First Prize in the 2019 Los Angeles Conducting Competition, Assistant Conductor positions with the Buffalo Philharmonic and Florida Grand Opera, and Music Director positions with the University of Michigan Life Sciences Orchestra and Michigan Pops Orchestra. Previously a prize -winning trumpet player, Todd began his professional career as Principal Trumpet of the Sarasota Orchestra and performed with the New York Philharmonic, Cincinnati Symphony and as a frequent guest artist at the Sarasota Music Festival.
Craven made his conducting debut in 2012 with members of the Sarasota Orchestra and Redeemer Chorus in Maurice Durufle’s Requiem. In 2014, he began conducting studies with Kenneth Kiesler at the University of Michigan and subsequently with Marin Alsop at the Peabody Conservatory. Other conducting mentors include JoAnn Falletta, Donald Schleicher, Larry Rachleff, and William Wiedrich.