Anthony Blake Clark

Dallas Symphony Chorus Director Anthony Blake Clark (Jean D. Wilson Chair) is a leading voice among his generation of choral conductors. He is in demand by both amateur and professional choral artists because of his “readily apparent musicality” (Baltimore Sun), and his conviction that lives can be changed by participating in classical music, whether on the stage or in the audience.

Clark has prepared choral ensembles for prestigious orchestras such as the Rundfunkchor Berlin with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Radio Orchestra and the Richmond Symphony Orchestra.

Prior to arriving in Dallas, he served as Music Director of the nationally acclaimed Baltimore Choral Arts. Winner of the American Prize in choral conducting and recipient of the Chorus America Alice Parker Award, Clark’s leadership of Baltimore Choral Arts has also been acknowledged with a regional Emmy Award for their documentary “Dreamer” and a second nomination for the American Prize for best choral performance. He annually conducts “Christmas with Choral Arts,” televised on Maryland PBS. He has secured invites to several important festivals and collaborations; after a sold-out UK tour, Baltimore Choral Arts was in residence with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Chorus for performances of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony. Recently, they made their Berlin Philharmonie debut and then traveled to perform with the Vienna Radio Orchestra under Marin Alsop.

Clark is also the Artistic Director of Bach Vespers in New York City where the Bach Choir and Players present works using historically informed performance practices. In the coming season they will present many cantatas celebrating the 300th anniversary of Bach’s arrival in Leipzig as Thomaskantor, culminating in a performance of the B Minor Mass. He has also served as the James Erb Choral Chair Director of Choruses for the Richmond Symphony Orchestra. Clark is equally adept in the orchestral field recently made his debut with the Baltimore and Richmond symphonies. He has also appeared as cover conductor for the National Symphony Orchestra.

Legacy and mentorship are paramount to Clark’s musical philosophy; he is a mentee of Marin Alsop, having worked with her extensively and studied with her at the Peabody Institute in the doctoral conducting program. Clark completed a master’s degree under three-time GRAMMY® Award-winner Simon Halsey CBE at the United Kingdom’s University of Birmingham and considers Halsey his lifelong mentor.