MAURICE COHN, MUSIC DIRECTOR

Acclaimed for his “depth, musicality, and expressive power” and for leading “sensational” performances with “exceptional colors,” Maurice Cohn stands at the forefront of a new generation of American conductors. A three-time recipient of the Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award, he became Music Director of the West Virginia Symphony with the 2023-2024 season. Musical highlights of his tenure in Charleston include the Symphony’s November 2023 collaboration with Mountain Stage, the revival of opera performances with the Symphony’s March 2025 production of Carmen, and expanding the orchestra through the hiring of over twenty new musicians.

In addition to his work with the West Virginia Symphony, Maurice conducts performances throughout the United States and abroad. Highlights of his 2025/26 season include debuts with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra with TwoSet Violin, Würth Philharmonic with Hélène Grimaud, and Brussels Philharmonic with Alexandra Conunova. Recent seasons have seen Cohn in debut engagements with the Filharmonie Bohuslava Martinů, Omaha Symphony, Utah Symphony, and Cincinnati Symphony. He continues an ongoing relationship with the Colorado Music Festival and maintains a strong presence in contemporary music through collaborations with ensembleNEWSRQ and the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble.

Prior to moving to West Virginia, Maurice served as the Assistant Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under Fabio Luisi, where he conducted notable performances including the world premiere of Mason Bates’s Philharmonia Fantastique and a concert version of Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones. He made his subscription debut in 2023, jumping in for Maestro Luisi on a program of Brahms, Antheil, and the world premiere of Jessie Montgomery’s Snapshots. Maurice was also a two-time Assistant Conductor at the Aspen Music Festival, where he led the world premiere of Peng-Peng Gong’s Late Bells for Concertante Piano and Orchestra with the Aspen Chamber Symphony.

Maurice is the recipient of the Robert J. Harth Conducting Prize and the Aspen Conducting Prize. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Oberlin Conservatory and a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College, where he studied History and Mathematics. He received a Master of Music in Conducting from the Eastman School of Music.

When not conducting or playing cello, you can find him reading mystery novels, playing tennis, or continually searching for the best podcast app.