MA Top 30 Professional: Jed Gaylin

Music Director
Bay Atlantic Symphony

Jed Gaylin may not be the most famous conductor in North America, but he’s certainly one of the most dedicated. Whether he’s working with college students or professionals, he puts the same heart into the effort and strives to connect with players and listeners alike.

“I believe that with committed, imaginative performances, a symphony orchestra can be the beating heart of any community,” Gaylin says. “I have always believed we can reflect what is best in America…by engaging in expressions as rich as America itself, and the unique voices we serve.”

Long relationships have defined Gaylin’s career. In and around his hometown of Baltimore, his tenures as music director of the Hopkins and Bay Atlantic symphonies have spanned over 25 years each. He’s also been music director of Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra in West Virginia since 2012. 

Each has thrived by capitalizing on the agility smaller orchestras enjoy: by undertaking challenging repertoire, highlighting living composers, and reaching across geographic, stylistic, and demographic boundaries to deepen the concert experience and attract new listeners.

By way of example, for a recent performance of contemporary composer Russell Steinberg’s Cosmic Dust, Gaylin widened appeal by inviting Mario Livio, a former director of the Hubble Space Telescope, to participate.

Much of Gaylin’s podium longevity can be attributed to his welcoming stage presence and collaborative style of leadership. Both have helped him gain the trust and enthusiasm of audiences and musicians alike.

Conducting, Gaylin says, is a process of exploration and experimentation, one that entails “intense listening to my own inner dialogue with the pieces, flexibly sharing that distilled vision with the orchestra and audience, and in this way co-creating communal expression.”