David Torns
Recently appointed Associate Conductor and Principal Pops Conductor of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, David Torns is increasingly recognized for his vibrant personality, musical depth, and his ability to communicate an infectious joy for music to both musicians and audiences alike. David has brought an infusion of new energy and recognition to the Baton Rouge Symphony Pops. Recent collaborations include artists such as The Wicked Divas, Classical Mystery Tour, Spectrum Motown, Bravo Broadway, and Grammy Award winning jazz singer Dianne Reeves. He has led orchestra with films such as Disney’s Pixar in Concert, and Disney Around the World. He has collaborated with Broadway artists Doug LaBrecque, Debbie Gravitte, Christiane Noll, Julie Reiber, Laura Woyasz, Hugh Panaro, Morgan James, Capathia Jenkins, Darius de Haas, Rob Evan, and Chloe Lowery. He recently performed with American Idol finalists Haley Scarnato, Matt Giraud, and LaKisha Jones. Mr. Torns leads the Baton Rouge Symphony and the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker annually. He has also led orchestras for productions by Playmakers of Baton Rouge, Theatre Baton Rouge, Central Community Theatre, and the Manship Theatre. Mr. Torns is a passionate proponent of music education, designing and implementing educational concerts that reach over 10,000 students a year. He is currently the Education Conductor for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, performing over 30 concerts throughout New Orleans and the surrounding parishes. He also holds the post of Music Director of the Louisiana Youth Orchestra, having brought sustained growth and artistic excellence to over 150 students in the program. Mr. Torns has appeared in concert with student orchestras throughout the United States including the Vanderbilt University Symphony, Nashville Youth Symphony, West Virginia University Symphony, the North Carolina School for the Arts “Musica Piccola” Orchestra, and the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra. He guest conducted the 2013 All-Southern California Honor Orchestra, and the 2017 Pittsburgh Music Educators Association District I Honor Orchestra. Mr. Torns has worked with the Omaha Symphony, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Astoria Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, and the Lansing Symphony amongst others. Mr. Torns is an alumnus of the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, and the Chautauqua Institution. He has performed in master classes with Harold Farberman, Marin Alsop, Apo Hsu, Guillermo Figueroa, Karen Deal, Eduardo Navega, Leon Botstein, Donald Portnoy, Samuel Jones, and Paul Vermel. He has also studied with Kenneth Kiesler, Markand Thakar, and Timothy Muffitt.
Mr. Torns was selected as a participant in the first Conductors Symposium with the Omaha Symphony, performing in master classes with Thomas Wilkins and Mark Gibson. Selected for the American Symphony Orchestra League’s Donald Thulean Conducting Workshop in Atlanta, he has also studied with James Paul, Robert Spano, and Michael Morgan. A graduate of the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University and the College of Creative Arts at West Virginia University, Torns began his musical studies at the age of five on the violin in his native city of San Diego, California. His violin teachers have included Mary Gerard, Cornelia Heard, Dr. Laura Kobayashi, Jacques Israelievitch and Vasile Beluska. Conducting teachers have included Robin Fountain, Emelyne Bingham, Lawrence Christianson, Kathleen Shannon, Don Wilcox, Cyrus Ginwala, and Timothy Muffitt.
