Biography
Conductor
Teddy Abrams
Teddy Abrams, a Grammy Award winner and Musical America’s 2022 conductor of the year, has been the galvanizing force behind the Louisville Orchestra’s artistic renewal since his appointment as music director in September 2014. His Kentucky achievements include the Louisville Orchestra Creators Corps, a residency initiative for composers; the In Harmony Tour, a community-building project funded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky; and collaborations with artists including Chris Thile, Jim James, Jack Harlow, Storm Large, and Jecorey “1200” Arthur, with whom Abrams founded the Louisville Orchestra Rap School.
Beyond Louisville, Abrams has conducted leading orchestras in Europe and North America, including the San Francisco Symphony, with whom he debuted as a conductor in 2012. In 2023, Abrams premiered his own composition Mammoth with the Louisville Orchestra and Yo-Yo Ma in Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave, and in 2024 his piano concerto for Yuja Wang won a Grammy Award. He began a new role as artistic and executive director of the Ojai Music Festival in September 2026.
Abrams first came to the attention of Michael Tilson Thomas when he wrote him a letter at age nine. MTT became a mentor, and they worked together regularly in the years following. Abrams was a conducting fellow at the New World Symphony and he has also been a champion of MTT’s compositions.
Beyond Louisville, Abrams has conducted leading orchestras in Europe and North America, including the San Francisco Symphony, with whom he debuted as a conductor in 2012. In 2023, Abrams premiered his own composition Mammoth with the Louisville Orchestra and Yo-Yo Ma in Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave, and in 2024 his piano concerto for Yuja Wang won a Grammy Award. He began a new role as artistic and executive director of the Ojai Music Festival in September 2026.
Abrams first came to the attention of Michael Tilson Thomas when he wrote him a letter at age nine. MTT became a mentor, and they worked together regularly in the years following. Abrams was a conducting fellow at the New World Symphony and he has also been a champion of MTT’s compositions.
