Julian Wachner

Music director of The Washington Chorus, Julian Wachner is one of North America’s most exciting and versatile musicians, sought-after as both conductor and composer. He is also the director of music and the arts at New York’s historic Trinity Wall Street and former principal conductor of Opera McGill, Montreal. In his position at Trinity, Wachner serves as principal conductor of the Trinity Choir and the Trinity Baroque Orchestra. Most recently he was honored with a 2013 Grammy nomination for “Best Choral Performance” for his recording of Handel’s Israel in Egypt with the Trinity Choir and Baroque Orchestra.

Wachner has also made memorable guest appearances with The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Montreal and Pittsburgh Symphonies, the Boston Pops, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic, among others. A Baroque specialist, he was the founding music director of the Boston Bach Ensemble and the Bach Académie de Montréal, besides serving as artistic director of International Bach Festivals in Boston and Montreal. In the 2009–2010 season Wachner made New York City Opera history when he was selected as both conductor and composer at the company’s annual VOX festival of contemporary opera. Wachner returned to lead the 13th annual Vox Festival this season. 

Born in Hollywood, California, Julian Wachner was a chorister at the St. Thomas Choir School in New York City before earning a doctor of musical arts degree from Boston University’s School for the Arts. He is a fellow of the American Guild of Organists.