(2011-present)
Sponsored by Claudia G. Conn
Hailed as a “young titan” by the Montreal Gazette after conducting the Montréal Symphony in Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle and Schönberg’s Erwartung, Gregory Vajda has fast become one of the most sought-after conductors on the international scene. Reflecting his growing presence and demand in North America, he was appointed in 2011 as the sixth music director of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra.
He began his tenure as the Principal Conductor of Savaria Symphony in Hungary in the fall of 2022. Following three years as Artist in Residence, he was named Principal Associate Conductor of the new music Ensemble Ars nova in France for 2024-2026. In January 2026, he was appointed Principal Conductor of the Cluj Philharmonic in Romania.
In Hungary, Mr. Vajda is the Artistic Director of the new music ensemble UMZE, and Program Director of the Peter Eötvös Contemporary Music Foundation. After concluding a three-year tenure as Principal Conductor, he was named Principal Guest Conductor of the Hungarian Radio Symphony in 2014. He served as Artistic Director of the Armel International Opera Festival and Competition between 2014 and 2019.
For his achievements as a performing artist, he has been awarded the Gundel Art Prize in 2001, the Bartók-Pásztory Award in 2018, and the Artisjus Performing Arts Award in 2020. Mr. Vajda holds a DLA degree in conducting.
In the 2025-26 season, Vajda will make his debut as a conductor and composer with the Israel Contemporary Players, and will return to the Transylvania State Philharmonic, the Hungarian State Opera, the Pannon and the MÁV Symphony Orchestras, and to the production of Salute to Vienna (in Toronto). As part of the ‘Kurtág 100’ celebration in Hungary, he will teach alongside Thomas Adès at the joint masterclass of the Peter Eötvös Foundation and the UMZE Chamber Ensemble. In the summer of 2026, he will conduct an Orpheus-themed, literary based contemporary music production with Ensemble Ars nova at several European venues.
For more information, please visit Gregory’s website.
| Gregory Vajda | 2011 – |
| Carlos Miguel Prieto | 2003 – 2011 |
| Taavo Virkhaus | 1989 – 2003 |
| Marx Pales | 1971 – 1988 |
| Russel Gerhardt | 1959 – 1971 |
| Arthur M. Fraser | 1955 – 1959 |
Enrich your life with local entertainment from your Huntsville Symphony Orchestra by subscribing to the Classical series, Pops series, or a little bit of both. The “Compose Your Own” option works around your busy schedule and allows for the most customization.