Biography
Nathan Haines is an accomplished conductor, educator, and the new director of orchestras at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He holds a Ph.D. in Orchestral Conducting and Music Education from Florida State University, where he served as the associate conductor of orchestras, taught courses in conducting, and pursued research in the art of conducting and music education under the mentorship of Dr. Alexander Jiménez.
After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in percussion from Brigham Young University, Nathan obtained his Masters of Music in orchestral conducting with Kory Katseanes. Dr. Haines's music career has taken him to venues across the globe, including performances in Asia and Europe. In addition, he has studied and performed with top professionals from around the country, including Neil Varon from the Eastman School of Music and the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Haines is a strong advocate for the orchestral arts, particularly in new and innovative projects. In 2021, he co-founded the Studio Orchestra at FSU to create and perform music in film, video game, and other commercial media. He recruited over 80 students, faculty, and staff to participate, serving as both president and music director. Earlier in his professional career, Dr. Haines served as the principal conductor and music director of the Utah Philharmonic Orchestra in Bluffdale, Utah. Over the course of three seasons, he led growth efforts that doubled the size of the orchestra and significantly increased audience attendance through his innovative and engaging programming.
As a firm believer in the importance of music education, Dr. Haines has presented his research at the state and national levels. He recently presented his paper “Engaging with Film & Video Game Music'' at the National Association for Music Education Conference in Washington, D.C. He has also presented papers at the Florida Music Educators Association in Tampa, Florida, and was recently invited as a conducting fellow for the College Orchestra Directors Association national conference in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Haines’s dissertation at Florida State, titled “Conducting with Multimedia in Live Performance," provides a framework of techniques and technologies that conductors can use on the modern concert stage.
In his free time, Nathan enjoys writing, alpine skiing, and hiking with his wife and two young children.
Education
- Ph.D., Florida State University, 2023
- MM, BYU, 2016
- BA in Music, BYU, 2013