Mattie Kelly Arts Center Todd Craven - Conductor

Todd Craven is Music Director/Conductor of the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and the Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra. Known for his musical sensitivity, amiable personality and passion for contemporary music, Craven advocates for the 21st century orchestra by creating programs that introduce classical and orchestral music to people from all walks of life. Craven’s past accomplishments include First Prize in the 2019 Los Angeles Conducting Competition, Assistant Conductor positions with the Buffalo Philharmonic and Florida Grand Opera, as well as Music Director positions with the Michigan Pops and the University of Michigan Life Sciences Orchestra.

In 2022-23, Todd made his debut with the Florida Orchestra (TFO) in a series of sold-out holiday concerts, with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, stepping in with a few hours notice to conduct the entirety of Handel’s Messiah and with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra for their Concert at the Springs. In March of this year, Mr. Craven was invited to assist on a recording project with Eric Jacobsen, the Virginia Symphony and the legendary violinist Gil Shaham. In 2024, Todd will return to the Virginia Symphony, and is also invited to guest conduct the Goiânia Symphony Orchestra of Brazil. Other guest conducting highlights have included engagements with the Detroit Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, Peabody Symphony Orchestra and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Co-Founder and Music Director of the Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra, Craven is passionate about performing the works of living composers. Orlando Arts Magazine said of the “captivating” world premiere of Donald Yu’s Four Seasons, that Craven “held the ensemble together with precision, allowing each instrument to resonate while minding the role of the soloist.”

Previously a prize winning trumpet player, he 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.