A "versatile and energetic conductor..."
(Tim Smith, Baltimore Sun)

American conductor Nicholas Hersh is Music Director of the Modesto Symphony, having been appointed in August 2023 with immediate effect.

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In the 2023-24 season, Hersh returns to the National, Houston, Baltimore, Colorado, and New Jersey Symphonies, while making debuts with the Springfield Symphony and Wintergreen Festival. Recent include engagements with the Detroit, Grand Rapids, New World, North Carolina, Phoenix, Portland (ME), Richmond, Tucson, Utah, and Winston-Salem symphony orchestras, Louisiana and Rochester Philharmonics, and the Florida and Sarasota Orchestras.

Over a remarkable tenure as Associate Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Hersh created the BSO Pulse series, through which he brought together indie bands and orchestral musicians in unique collaborations; he led the BSO in several subscription weeks, and concerts in and around Baltimore; and he directed the BSO’s educational and family programming, including the celebrated Academy for adult amateur musicians. Hersh also maintains a close relationship with the National Symphony Orchestra, leading concerts throughout Washington, D.C. He stepped in to replace an indisposed Yan Pascal Tortelier, on subscription, to great acclaim.

Hersh is frequently in demand as an arranger and orchestrator, with commissions from orchestras around the globe for adaptations of everything from classical solo and chamber music to popular songs. His orchestration of Beethoven’s Cello Sonata Op. 69 was premiered by the Philharmonie Zuidnederland in January 2022, while his symphonic arrangement of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody continues to see worldwide success as a viral YouTube hit. He also serves as arranger and editor for the James P. Johnson Orchestra Edition.

An avid educator, Hersh has embraced the Young Persons Concert format as a crucial method for orchestras to serve their communities. From 2016-2020, he served as Artistic Director of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras, and he continues to be a frequent collaborator and guest faculty at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.

Hersh grew up in Evanston, Illinois and started his musical training as a cellist. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Stanford University and a Master’s Degree in Conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.Hersh is also a two-time recipient of the Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award. Nicholas lives in Philadelphia with his wife Caitlin and their two cats, and in his free time enjoys baking (and eating) sourdough bread.

Upcoming Appearances

Featured
Omaha Symphony: Sound and Fury
Florida Orchestra: Mendelssohn, Dawson and Enescu
Florida Orchestra: Mendelssohn, Dawson and Enescu

Instagram Feed

🚨 new arrangement alert! Delighted to be premiering my orchestration of Clara Schumann’s delightful Op. 5 this weekend with @tucsonsymphony . One of my “pandemic projects,” these four miniatures for piano are full of color and char
🚨 new arrangement alert! Delighted to be premiering my orchestration of Clara Schumann’s delightful Op. 5 this weekend with @tucsonsymphony . One of my “pandemic projects,” these four miniatures for piano are full of color and character, and lent themselves beautifully to a full orchestral treatment. Also on the program is a gorgeous Korngold Violin Concerto as played by @kersonleong , a little taste of Bernard Herrmann’s score to “Psycho,” and Mendelssohn’s “Reformation” Symphony takes us home! #conductor #orchestra #opus3artists #tucson #arranger #premiere #claraschumann #korngold #herrmann #mendelssohn
What a treat to share the stage last night in Denver with @christhile in his genre-defying Mandolin Concerto/Narrative Cycle “Attention!”—wonderfully complex and compelling music that tells (quite literally!) a remarkable story. And
What a treat to share the stage last night in Denver with @christhile in his genre-defying Mandolin Concerto/Narrative Cycle “Attention!”—wonderfully complex and compelling music that tells (quite literally!) a remarkable story. And @coloradosymphony played it expertly along with a little Beethoven, Caroline Shaw and a killer Copland #AppalachianSpring to kick off the concert! Chris is an incredible artist, can’t wait to collaborate again!!
Started off a new season with a quick trip to Budapest to assist Ivan Fischer and the @budfestivalorch at @mupabudapest , followed by a quick tour stop at @bozarbrussels ! Ivan premiered his new violin concerto, “Dance Suite (In Memory of JS Ba
Started off a new season with a quick trip to Budapest to assist Ivan Fischer and the @budfestivalorch at @mupabudapest , followed by a quick tour stop at @bozarbrussels ! Ivan premiered his new violin concerto, “Dance Suite (In Memory of JS Bach),” which I had the pleasure of co-orchestrating and engraving (here I am discussing some last-minute edits, never too late!)…a difficult but immensely fun piece played commandingly by @tishviolin 🎻 Back to the US now for some #beethoven with @apolloorchestra ✈️
🎼 A new season of music is just around the corner, and I couldn’t be more excited for the concerts ahead with friends old and new! Not to mention an incredible Classics season with my colleagues of @modestosymphony … take a peek at the
🎼 A new season of music is just around the corner, and I couldn’t be more excited for the concerts ahead with friends old and new! Not to mention an incredible Classics season with my colleagues of @modestosymphony … take a peek at the link in bio for all the details, and let me know if/when I’ll be in your neighborhood this year! #conductor #orchestra #opus3artists #seasonannouncement #20242025 #guestconductor #musicdirector #travel 📸 Brad Ancheta
#TBT to a wonderful 23-24 season! So many memorable moments, but here are a few: 🕯️ A summer performance with @baltsymphony and @wordsmithmusic 🎤 Regaling the audience at @skanfestival 👏Bows after Beethoven 9 with @modestosymphony 🤳 “Se
#TBT to a wonderful 23-24 season! So many memorable moments, but here are a few: 🕯️ A summer performance with @baltsymphony and @wordsmithmusic 🎤 Regaling the audience at @skanfestival 👏Bows after Beethoven 9 with @modestosymphony 🤳 “Selfone” with @gianandreanoseda at the Berlin Philharmonie 🇪🇸 Adventures in Barcelona with the best wife there is 🧛🏻‍♂️ Halloween concert shenanigans with @housymphony 🎓 Opening the new @johnshopkinsu DC campus with @peabodyinstitute 🇭🇺 Running the Danube in Budapest during a visit to @budfestivalorch 🎉 Starting my tenure as Music Director of @modestosymphony Exciting things to come in 24-25…can’t wait to share soon!
Looking forward to an exciting summer ahead, featuring: 🦀 Five wonderful programs across three weeks with my friends of the @baltsymphony ✨A debut in upstate New York with the amazing artists of the @skanfestival 🐴 Nino Rota’s magnificent s
Looking forward to an exciting summer ahead, featuring: 🦀 Five wonderful programs across three weeks with my friends of the @baltsymphony ✨A debut in upstate New York with the amazing artists of the @skanfestival 🐴 Nino Rota’s magnificent score for #thegodfather with @njsymphony 🎵 Music from some of my favorite composers working today, including @annaclynecomposer @jimmylopezbellido @gabrielalenafrank Jonathan Leshnoff @jessiemontgomerymusic @carlos_simon_music View all the details at the freshly updated link in bio!
🚨 Sappy post incoming 🚨 On this 200th anniversary of #beethovensninth, I am flying to California to conduct it my first time with my colleagues of @modestosymphony . It’s hard sometimes to see beyond the space this piece of music occupies,
🚨 Sappy post incoming 🚨 On this 200th anniversary of #beethovensninth, I am flying to California to conduct it my first time with my colleagues of @modestosymphony . It’s hard sometimes to see beyond the space this piece of music occupies, a towering monolith that continues to shape the course of Western music. And, as performers, once you adjust your focus and truly zoom into the music, the first thing you find about it is that it’s...difficult. Draining. Full of pitfalls for every. single. musician, of voice and instrument. Dig a little deeper, and you begin to uncover the emotion. The rage, the anguish, the peace, the hope, and, yes, the joy. And most of all: the humanity. The more I’ve lived with this music, the less I believe it to be some final boast of a god amongst mortals, as it’s so often portrayed. I like to see it as an intensely personal reminder, delivered across two centuries, to cherish love and friendship when anger and grief come knocking. It’s been a tough week. I am so fortunate for the love in my life: my wife, my family, and my friends. This urtext score was a graduation gift from my classmates and fellow music nerds at Stanford, and it fills me with gratitude every time I open the front pages to find these wonderful messages from them all. ♥️
Reflecting on memories of an unforgettable run as cover conductor for the 18-day @natsymphonydc European Tour. I regret I wasn’t the most frequent shutterbug, but I found myself drawn to these peaceful moments in the midst of our fast-paced iti
Reflecting on memories of an unforgettable run as cover conductor for the 18-day @natsymphonydc European Tour. I regret I wasn’t the most frequent shutterbug, but I found myself drawn to these peaceful moments in the midst of our fast-paced itinerary. There are, meanwhile, countless memories (which, for better or worse, I can’t post to social media) of the incredible musicianship of soloists @violincase & @seongjinchoofficial , as well as my friends of the @nso_musicians and their indefatigable leader @gianandreanoseda —whose friendship, artistry, and relentless positivity inspire the best in me and everyone who took part in this tour. Barcelona, Zaragoza, Madrid, Berlin, Nürnberg, Frankfurt, Köln, Milan, and Hamburg—until next time! #nsotour 1. A calm morning atop Parc Guell in Barcelona 2. The incredible ceiling of the Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona 3. A quiet moment in the Auditorio de Zaragoza 4. Evening at the Alte Oper, Frankfurt 5. A beautiful day at Köln Cathedral 6. The view from stage at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan 7. The organic architecture of the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg 8. Behind-the-scenes of a podium selfie at the Philharmonie Berlin (📸 Scott Suchmann)
Amidst the breathless pace of the @natsymphonydc Europe tour, managed to grab a quick “selfino” with Maestro @gianandreanoseda at the Philharmonie Berlin before a truly marvelous performance of Berg, Beethoven and Schubert. Bravo tutti!
Amidst the breathless pace of the @natsymphonydc Europe tour, managed to grab a quick “selfino” with Maestro @gianandreanoseda at the Philharmonie Berlin before a truly marvelous performance of Berg, Beethoven and Schubert. Bravo tutti! #nsotour
Two years ago I met my—wait, what? TEN years ago?? How is that possible WHAT IS TIME 🤯 Anyway, *10* years ago I met my future wife @ceh4376 and she is now as then the best one ❤️ (📸 today at #parkguellbarcelona #nsotour )
Two years ago I met my—wait, what? TEN years ago?? How is that possible WHAT IS TIME 🤯 Anyway, *10* years ago I met my future wife @ceh4376 and she is now as then the best one ❤️ (📸 today at #parkguellbarcelona #nsotour )
🚨 new arrangement alert! Delighted to be premiering my orchestration of Clara Schumann’s delightful Op. 5 this weekend with @tucsonsymphony . One of my “pandemic projects,” these four miniatures for piano are full of color and char What a treat to share the stage last night in Denver with @christhile in his genre-defying Mandolin Concerto/Narrative Cycle “Attention!”—wonderfully complex and compelling music that tells (quite literally!) a remarkable story. And Started off a new season with a quick trip to Budapest to assist Ivan Fischer and the @budfestivalorch at @mupabudapest , followed by a quick tour stop at @bozarbrussels ! Ivan premiered his new violin concerto, “Dance Suite (In Memory of JS Ba 🎼 A new season of music is just around the corner, and I couldn’t be more excited for the concerts ahead with friends old and new! Not to mention an incredible Classics season with my colleagues of @modestosymphony … take a peek at the #TBT to a wonderful 23-24 season! So many memorable moments, but here are a few: 🕯️ A summer performance with @baltsymphony and @wordsmithmusic 🎤 Regaling the audience at @skanfestival 👏Bows after Beethoven 9 with @modestosymphony 🤳 “Se Looking forward to an exciting summer ahead, featuring: 🦀 Five wonderful programs across three weeks with my friends of the @baltsymphony ✨A debut in upstate New York with the amazing artists of the @skanfestival 🐴 Nino Rota’s magnificent s 🚨 Sappy post incoming 🚨 On this 200th anniversary of #beethovensninth, I am flying to California to conduct it my first time with my colleagues of @modestosymphony . It’s hard sometimes to see beyond the space this piece of music occupies, Reflecting on memories of an unforgettable run as cover conductor for the 18-day @natsymphonydc European Tour. I regret I wasn’t the most frequent shutterbug, but I found myself drawn to these peaceful moments in the midst of our fast-paced iti Amidst the breathless pace of the @natsymphonydc Europe tour, managed to grab a quick “selfino” with Maestro @gianandreanoseda at the Philharmonie Berlin before a truly marvelous performance of Berg, Beethoven and Schubert. Bravo tutti! Two years ago I met my—wait, what? TEN years ago?? How is that possible WHAT IS TIME 🤯 Anyway, *10* years ago I met my future wife @ceh4376 and she is now as then the best one ❤️ (📸 today at #parkguellbarcelona #nsotour )

Contact Nicholas

For booking inquiries, please contact Matthew Oberstein, Opus 3 Artists: moberstein@opus3artists.com

 
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