Artist Spotlight: Norman Huynh

Artist Spotlight: Norman Huynh, guest conductor

American conductor Norman Huynh continues to build a reputation as one of classical music’s most adventurous ambassadors.

Hailed for the exuberance with which he leads orchestras across Europe, Asia and North America, Huynh’s ability to attract new audiences to the orchestra has received equal renown. The 2020 season inaugurated his tenure as Music Director of the Bozeman Symphony Orchestra, joining an existing appointment as Associate Conductor for the Oregon Symphony.

As a music director, Norman’s sharp focus on winning over new audiences reflects his own entry point to classical music—namely as a 12-year-old “band geek” trombonist in Alabama. Huynh was born and raised in Alabama and began playing trombone in junior high school in Prattville. In high school he picked up euphonium, a brass instrument similar to a tuba, which he played in the University of Alabama’s marching band while getting his degree in music education. His sophomore year of college, he began taking conducting lessons and discovered orchestral music.

Now the first in his family to pursue orchestral music as a career, the euphonium player turned maestro continues to find ways to create these same entry points for others, whether through outreach initiatives or bold concert programming.

Now the first in his family to pursue orchestral music as a career, the euphonium player turned maestro continues to find ways to create these same entry points for others, whether through outreach initiatives or bold concert programming.

Huynh has attained international prominence in the first years of his career, most recently through an invitation to the Bruno Walter Young Conductor Preview, a selective showcase hosted by the League of American Orchestras. He was also selected as one of 24 finalists out of over 600 applicants for the 2021 Malko Conducting Competition.

He maintains an active guest conducting schedule, with recent and upcoming engagements including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfónica del Vallés (Spain) and the Princess Galyani Vadhana Youth Orchestra of Thailand. In addition, Norman has worked with both the New York Philharmonic and for John Williams of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as a cover conductor.

This track record would extend to existing legacy organizations. As the assistant conductor of the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra, Norman not only visited 60 public schools in helming its Musical Explorer’s Program, but also founded “Symphony and Spirits,” a routinely sold-out concert series for an under-40 audience. His accomplishments earned him the 2015 Yale Distinguished Music Educator Award, awarded “in recognition of innovative approaches to music education.” More importantly, both the Occasional Symphony and the programs he began at the PSO continue to thrive to this day.

In addition to outreach, Norman has found success through programming with unique crossover collaborations, taking bows throughout his career with artists like Smokey Robinson, Wyclef Jean, Boyz II Men, Gregory Alan Isakov and many others in the R&B, hip-hop and pop genres. Additionally, Huynh has received growing acclaim for his work leading live film soundtracks, ranging from Spielberg classics, An American in Paris, and special performances of the Harry Potter films in Barcelona and Madrid.