Madison Symphony Orchestra (MSO) announced that John DeMain will step down as music director at the end of its 2025–26 centennial season. MSO’s 23–24, 24–25, and 25–26 seasons will celebrate DeMain’s leadership, the Symphony’s legacy, and feature appearances by several guest conductors.
DeMain’s impact on the MSO and Madison cultural arts community is extensive. He is only the fourth music director in the Symphony’s 98-year history. He has helped the MSO in terms of financial position and artistic growth among peers in the symphony world. DeMain also serves as the Madison Opera’s artistic director.
DeMain is known as a world-class opera and symphony conductor with more than three decades of musical contributions. DeMain led a history-making production with the Houston Grand Opera of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, winning a Grammy Award, Tony Award, and France’s Grand Prix de Disque for the RCA recording. In 2014, the San Francisco Opera released an HD DVD of its most recent production of Porgy and Bess conducted by DeMain. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023 from the National Opera Association, the NOA’s highest award.
Executive Director Robert A. Reed along with the search committee will lead the process of researching and securing a new music director. Inquiries about the search may be directed to here.
