Damon D. Conn, Director, Greater Akron Youth Philharmonic

Damon D. Conn, orchestral conductor and director of Twinsburg City School’s Orchestras, received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Bowling Green State University in 1994. Originally a native of Uniontown, Ohio, he began studying the violin in the 5th grade in the Lake Local Schools orchestra program. In high school, he was assistant concertmaster of the Akron Youth Symphony and participated in both Region and All-State Orchestras. Upon graduation from BGSU, he began his career teaching orchestra in Spartanburg, South Carolina where he was coordinator of the orchestra program for Spartanburg School District One. He built the orchestra program in District One from the ground up and was recognized across the state with superior ratings at festivals as well as students selected for All-State Orchestras seven years in a row. He served as member at-large on the executive board of the South Carolina Music Education Association and was a judge and sectional coach for many orchestra events. He performed in the first violin sections of the Charlotte Philharmonic Orchestra and the Greater Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra where he performed with artists including Aaron Rosand, Mark O’Conner, Sharon Isben, Marvin Hamlisch, Awadagin Pratt, and Chick Corea. He has performed under the baton of many great conductors including Keith Lockhart, Robert Spano, and Samuel Adler. In 1997 he appeared on national television on Kathy Lee Gifford’s “We Need a Little Christmas” special where he performed with Kathy Lee Gifford, Kenny Rodgers, Michael W. Smith, and Ce Ce Winans. In 2002, after his two children, Haven and Abigail were born, Damon made the move back to his hometown of Uniontown, Ohio to be closer to family. It was at this time that he accepted the position as orchestra director for the Twinsburg City Schools which he presently maintains. He is currently serving his fourth year as co-director of the Akron Youth Philharmonic.