Edwin Outwater is redefining the concert experience as a groundbreaking conductor, curator, and producer, known for his dynamic approach and genre-blending collaborations. Working with a wide range of artists from Metallica to Wynton Marsalis, Renée Fleming, and Yo-Yo Ma, his creative vision and ability to seamlessly navigate between musical worlds has made him one of the most sought-after conductors, with the legendary Michael Tilson Thomas aptly describing him as “one of the most innovative conductors on the scene today.”

Mr. Outwater currently serves as music director of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he leads its ensembles and oversees the institution’s bold artistic initiatives. He is also principal guest conductor and curator of the BBC Concert Orchestra, delivering an exciting range of concerts over three seasons with yearly appearances at the BBC Proms, and is music director laureate of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, recognizing his decade-long tenure. 

Mr. Outwater has conducted major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic; the Cleveland Orchestra; the Chicago Symphony; the Royal Philharmonic, with which he headlined a multi-concert series at the grand opening of Steinmetz Hall in Florida; and the San Francisco Symphony, with which he has a long-standing relationship. He made his Philadelphia Orchestra debut in 2019. His work often blends classical music with pop culture, producing original shows with drag icon Peaches Christ, with his collaborations also extending to the symphonic shows of stars such as Diana Ross, Beck, Trey Anastasio, Cynthia Erivo, Lang Lang, and Leslie Odom, Jr.