Posted July 9, 2026
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Welcomes Caleb Thompson as New Assistant Conductor
DAYTON, OH (July 9, 2026) — The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance announces the appointment of Caleb Thompson as Assistant Conductor. Thompson joins the organization ahead of the 2026–2027 Season.
An accomplished conductor and educator, Thompson has led performances with orchestras and opera companies across the country, including the University of North Texas Opera Theater, the University of North Texas Symphony Orchestra, the University of Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra, the New Jersey Chamber Orchestra, and the Westchester Chamber Soloists. He most recently served as Music Director of the Philharmonia Youth Orchestra of Bucks County and Assistant Conductor of the Young Musicians Debut Orchestra at the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute. In 2024, Thompson won the International Conductors Workshop and Competition and has also served on the faculty of the Philadelphia International Music Festival. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Cairn University and a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of North Texas.
As Assistant Conductor, Thompson will serve as the primary cover conductor for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, working closely with Music & Artistic Director Keitaro Harada and the organization’s artistic leadership. He will conduct and host performances throughout the season—including Learning and Community Engagement concerts—while serving as an artistic resource for rehearsals and performances. His scheduled appearances include:
Young People’s Concert
Learning
Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 11:30am
Handel’s Messiah
Special Event
Wednesday, December 16, 2026, at 7:30pm
The Nutcracker
Dayton Ballet
Friday, December 18, 2026, at 7:30pm
Saturday, December 19, 2026, at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
Sunday, December 20, 2026, at 2:30pm
Magic Carpet Concert
Learning
Tuesday, February 16, 2027, at 11:30am
Wednesday, February 17, 2027, at 11:30am
Thursday, February 18, 2027, at 11:30am
Young People’s Concert
Learning
Wednesday, April 28, 2027, at 11:30am
Regarding his appointment, Thompson comments:
“I’m thrilled to join the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance this fall as their assistant conductor. This position not only lends me the opportunity to make music with the wonderful musicians in the Dayton area, but it also checks a great many ‘career boxes’ for me.
As a high school student growing up in youth orchestra, I developed a love for orchestral music and an addiction for the in-the-moment collaboration between musicians that playing in orchestra embodies. When Maestro Harada became my youth orchestra conductor, I was inspired by the way he utilized that collaborative spirit to produce wonderful music. For me, working with Maestro Harada again is a full-circle opportunity.
When I entered college, I wouldn’t have considered myself any particular fan of ballet and opera, but that changed quickly. By the end of my undergraduate career, I was applying for vocal performance graduate programs to explore opera further, and I applied multiple times to a conducting fellowship for the local ballet. The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance will allow me to explore both art forms with innovators in the field, and I couldn’t be more excited to learn from their experience.
Lastly, I’m so looking forward to interacting with a new community of music-lovers in the Dayton area. One of the things I frequently tell myself before performances is: a performance is merely musicians sharing our musical personality with others, and somehow that becomes truly profound. To that end, I’m more than ready to share my musical offering with Dayton community.”
Keitaro Harada adds:
“As I enter my second season as Music & Artistic Director of the Dayton Philharmonic, it is vital to have a talented and dedicated assistant conductor join our artistic family. Caleb Thompson truly impressed us throughout a rigorous audition process, which included a series of interviews across multiple departments and a standout rehearsal with the orchestra.
The role of an Assistant Conductor is essential, not only for the daily operations of the orchestra but as a cornerstone for developing the next generation of music directors. Caleb will be working closely with me and our guest conductors, leading several of our productions and deeply engaging with our community through educational activities. My goal is for Caleb to spend the next two to three seasons here in Dayton, honing his craft and preparing for the next major phase of his professional career. We are thrilled to welcome him to the team.”
Maestro Harada, Maestro Thompson, and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra open the season with Dayton Opera’s West Side Story on Saturday, September 26. The orchestra then takes the stage Saturday, October 17 in a diverse performance featuring dynamic violin duo Hina and Fiona. Tickets for The Nutcracker and The Messiah are available now as part of DPAA’s “Christmas in July” promotion. Tickets for the remaining events go on sale Thursday, July 30 at noon. More information is available online at daytonperformingarts.org.