John Thomas Dodson

American conductor, John Thomas Dodson’s concerts have been described as "phenomenal," with the press noting his "clear and communicative leadership on the podium" and describing his interpretations as displaying “jubilant intensity and great clarity.” After Dodson’s recent Severance Hall concert, Cleveland Classical’s review praised the orchestra’s “grand symphonic texture.”
John Thomas Dodson has conducted in renowned venues in North America and Europe, including New York’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Budapest’s Hungarian State Opera House, Athens's Megaron Concert Hall, Rochester’s Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, Denver's Boettcher Concert Hall, and Cleveland's Severance Hall. As a guest conductor he has led concerts in the Dominican Republic, Greece, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, and Russia. Maestro Dodson has conducted opera with Yale Opera, New Haven Symphony Orchestra and Cleveland Opera, and accompanied dance with Ballet Theatre of Toledo Orchestra.
Currently Principal Guest Conductor of the oldest community orchestra in Atlanta, Georgia, the Atlanta Community Symphony Orchestra, Dodson also serves as Artistic Director of Conciertos de la Villa de Santo Domingo and Music Director of the Lexington Bach Festival. He was Principal Conductor of the Cleveland Women’s Orchestra for three seasons, and he has been Music Director of Birmingham-Bloomfield Symphony Orchestra, Adrian Symphony Orchestra, Bryan Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra New York, Coronado Music Festival and Philharmonia Orchestra of Tucson.
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University, John Thomas Dodson holds a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the Peabody Conservatory of Music and was a Conducting Fellow at the Aspen Music School. In addition to music, he studied Buddhist traditions and mindfulness practices at the College of the Holy Cross, UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Research Center, UMass Memorial Center, and Atlanta Soto Zen Center. Dodson leads mindfulness seminars, and workshops, helping musicians use mindfulness to enhance their creativity, and consistently perform at their highest levels of artistry.