David Danzmayr
The Wayne P. Lawson, PhD & William Mitchell, MD Music Director
“An emotionally rewarding experience… Led by Danzmayr, the orchestra created the sensation of timelessness, … taking concertgoers to a heavenly dimension.” — Oregon ArtsWatch
David Danzmayr has earned a reputation for the intensity and deep musicality of his music-making. Now in his sixth season as Music Director of the Oregon Symphony, he continues to champion the work of living composers, a theme that runs throughout the 2026/27 season, with highlights including premieres of new works by Jessie Montgomery with cellist Abel Selacoe and the world premiere of a new song cycle by Gabriel Kahane. Other highlights in Oregon include performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 6, Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9, Mozart’s Mass in C minor, Scriabin’s Symphony No. 4, Elgar’s Enigma Variations and Schubert’s Symphony No. 10. Last season, Danzmayr and the orchestra released Andy Akiho’s Beneath Lighted Coffers: Concerto for Steel Pans & Orchestra (Reference Recordings).
In high demand as a guest conductor internationally, Danzmayr returns in the 2026/27 season to US orchestras including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and St Louis Symphony Orchestra, and makes his debut with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. In Europe, he returns to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and performs with Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria. He works regularly with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, of which he previously served as Chief Conductor. Highlights of his tenure included several European tours, with concerts at Vienna’s Musikverein and Salzburg’s Großes Festspielhaus, where the orchestra performed the prestigious New Year’s Concert. In March 2026, he conducted Taiwan’s National Symphony Orchestra in its mid-season opening concert, featuring music by Brahms and Sibelius with pianist Kyohei Sorita.
Alongside his position in Oregon, Danzmayr also serves as Music Director of the innovative ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. Comprised of musicians from across the United States, the orchestra is developing a range of projects in anticipation of its forthcoming 50th-anniversary season, including recording the complete Schubert symphonies.
Danzmayr has collaborated with many of today’s leading soloists, including Yefim Bronfman, Sir Stephen Hough, Renée Fleming, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Joyce Yang, Colin Currie and Gil Shaham. Recent highlights include performances with Christine Goerke and Storm Large, while the 2026/27 season brings collaborations with, among others, Stella Chen, Pavel Kolesnikov, Ava Bahari and Emanuel Ax.
Danzmayr received his musical training at the Mozarteum University Salzburg where, after initially studying piano, he went on to study conducting with Dennis Russell Davies. His first professional appointment was in Scotland as Assistant Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Early in his career, he received prizes at some of the world’s most prestigious conducting competitions, including the International Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition and the International Malko Conducting Competition. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded the Bernhard Paumgartner Medal by the Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum.
