“Guest Conductor, DAVID HAYES, possesses the rare combination of outstanding musical talent, artistic integrity, and steady leadership, who I have seen handle first hand, for almost 3 decades, very complicated professional music making situations, be they operatic, symphonic, chamber or choral settings. He naturally creates an atmosphere of artistic trust completely void of ego, so as to relentlessly drive those he works with to be the best they can be. Not only is he a gracious and openminded colleague, but, he naturally connects interpersonally with our participants, be they amateur or professional singers.”
- Paulo Faustini
Founder & Artistic Director, Serenades CHORAL TRAVEL
Guest Conductor, DAVID HAYES, is a conductor with an unusually broad range of repertory, spanning the symphonic, oratorio/choral and operatic genres. His role as Music Director of NYCHORAL (New York Choral Society) complements his other roles as Music Director of the Mannes Orchestra and Staff Conductor of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra. The 2022-2023 season marks Mr. Hayes’ eleventh season as NYCHORAL Music Director, and sixth season as guest conductor of Serenades CHORAL TRAVEL. DAVID has served on the conducting staff of The Philadelphia Orchestra from 2001-2011. In May 2015, he completed twenty-three years as Music Director of the critically acclaimed professional vocal ensemble The Philadelphia Singers, which was the resident chorus of The Philadelphia Orchestra from 2000-2011. He served as Interim Director of Orchestras for Temple University during the 2014-15 season. DAVID has also served as a cover conductor for the New York Philharmonic as well as for Sir Andre Previn on the Curtis Symphony Orchestra’s 1999 European Tour with Anne-Sophie Mutter. Equally at home both orchestrally and vocally, DAVID is in demand as guest conductor with orchestras and opera companies across North America. Recent guest conducting engagements have included a production of Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore for Opera Memphis, Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, and the East Coast premiere performances of Tan Dun’s Tea: A Mirror of Soul for the Opera Company of Philadelphia as well as a new production of Massenet’s Manon for the Curtis Opera Theatre. In addition, DAVID also conducted the 90th Anniversary Gala performances of the Martha Graham Dance Company at New York City Center in April 2016. In summer of 2016, he guest conducted at Berkshire Choral International in Newport, RI and Serenades CHORAL TRAVEL in Spoleto, Italy, in 2017 and 2018 in Soria, Spain, and in 2019 and 2022 in Noto, Ragusa, and Siracusa (Ortigia), Sicily, as well as summer 2023 in Puglia, Italy, and will guest conduct for the program for summer 2024 in Portugal. Past seasons have included concerts with such significant ensembles as The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Orchestre Symphonique de Trois-Rivières (Canada), Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra, Temple University Orchestra, Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra 2001, Curtis Opera Theatre, European Center for Opera and Vocal Art, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, The Washington Chorus, Louisiana Philharmonic, Berkshire Choral International and the Verbier Festival. Trained as a violinist and violist, DAVID received his Bachelor of Music in musicology from the University of Hartford and a diploma in Orchestral Conducting from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Otto-Werner Mueller. He also studied with Charles Bruck at the Pierre Monteux School. DAVID served on the Board of Directors of Chorus America from 2000-2009 and re-joined the Chorus America Board of Directors in June 2016.
