Travis Jürgens
Conductor Travis Jürgens won 2nd Prize and the President of the Jury Award at the 2019 Bucharest Music Institute International Conducting Competition. He has conducted the Rochester Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Boulder Philharmonic, and Denver Philharmonic, among others. He has worked with esteemed conductors, including Michael Tilson Thomas and Marin Alsop, who invited Travis to attend the Conductors Guild Composer/Conductor Workshop at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music.
Jürgens has performed in the United States, Europe, and Japan. He has been praised as “a superior conductor” and “well on his way to becoming a major conductor in the world of symphony orchestras” (Opus Colorado). Musicians who have played under his baton have commented on his exceptional talent, dynamic musicianship, efficient rehearsals, and strong leadership.
Jürgens is the newly-appointed Music Director of the Heights Chamber Orchestra. He has also served as Director of Music Ministry at Saint Ambrose Catholic Parish since 2020 and as Music Director of the fully-professional Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra near Toledo, Ohio, since 2018. Previously, he was the Music Director and Conductor of the Ohio Northern Symphony for five seasons, the Lima Area Youth Orchestra for three seasons, the Philharmonia of Kansas City for six seasons, the Associate Conductor of the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, and a cover conductor for the Colorado Symphony. He also held the position of Associate Conductor of the Lamont Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre in Denver, where he received the Leon Guide Outstanding Conductor Award.
Travis’ former teachers have praised him for his expressive conducting technique, tremendous energy, thorough preparation, and omnipresent passion for music. He earned his Bachelor’s in Piano Performance with High Distinction from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, his Master’s in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Illinois, and an Artist Diploma in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Denver Lamont School of Music. Additionally, he studied at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien and the Institut für Europäishe Studien in Vienna, Austria. He also made his Viennese debut as guest conductor of the IES Vienna Chamber Orchestra. He has served as Graduate Assistant Conductor at the University of Illinois, and Assistant Conductor for the University of Illinois Opera Theater. His primary conducting teachers include Donald Schleicher, Lawrence Golan, and David Effron. Additionally, he has received instruction from Michael Tilson Thomas, Marin Alsop, Gustav Meier, Larry Rachleff, Jorma Panula, Jin Wang, and many others. As an advocate of new music, Jürgens has performed many world premieres by emerging composers, and works to create innovative programs to engage communities.