This concert is the North Carolina Symphony debut for Chad Goodman.

Since his appointment as Music Director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra in 2023, Chad Goodman has led the orchestra's premieres of more than 20 works, increased community engagement, and spearheaded the orchestra’s first-ever Día de los Muertos concert, uniting the symphony with folkloric dance and vocals in a city-wide cultural celebration. In recognition of his work, Goodman was named Conductor of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras in 2025. In 2026, it was announced that his contract was extended for 3 years through the 2028/29 season.

As a guest conductor, Goodman has led orchestras including the Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Utah Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, and Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de Puebla.

From 2019 to 2023, Goodman served as the Conducting Fellow of the New World Symphony and Assistant Conductor to Michael Tilson Thomas. Goodman has also served as an Assistant Conductor to the San Francisco Symphony, working with Esa-Pekka Salonen, Herbert Blomstedt, Elim Chan, Manfred Honeck, Daniel Harding, and Simone Young, among others.

Goodman additionally leads workshops that teach young musicians the business skills needed to successfully navigate the music world. Forbes praised the conductor’s bold strides both on and off stage and hailed him as “An entrepreneur bringing innovation to classical music.” In 2022 he published the book You Earned a Music Degree. Now What?

Goodman holds a bachelor's degree from the Eastman School of Music and a master's degree from San Francisco State University.