David Baker is a conductor and arranger based in the Greater New York City area. David's work has represented his passion for both classical and popular genres and the space between those realms. 

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David currently serves as assistant conductor and arranger for a handful of Steve Hackman's SYMPHONYFUSE productions, such as Brahms X Radiohead and Beethoven X Beyoncé, as well as other projects. In this role, David has collaborated with dynamic soloists and several orchestras, including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. He most recently shared the podium with Steve as part of his Brahms X Radiohead performance with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and conducted Tchaikovsky X Drake with the Sinfonia Gulf Coast in Destin, Florida. David also assisted Steve for his orchestral sets with Diplo, for whom he also contributed arrangements, and Jacob Collier.

 

In the summer of 2026, David will conduct the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in the brand-new Face 2 Face: A Tribute to Elton John & Billy Joel, for which he wrote several arrangements. During the 2024-25 season, he made his conducting debut with the Louisville Orchestra as part of their Music Without Borders series, presenting a program that explores the commonalities between jazz and classical genres. David also appeared as a guest conductor at the Lake George Music Festival.

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In 2023, David conducted the premiere of Chris Potter’s "Generations", a full-concert suite for jazz quartet and chamber orchestra, at SFJazz with an all-star lineup including Potter, Craig Taborn, Scott Colley, and Brian Blade. He has also collaborated with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire for the premiere of his suite, "Porter". David acted as Associate Musical Director for the 50th anniversary concert of the San Francisco-based underground rock band, The Residents, where he conducted and arranged songs featuring musicians from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the San Francisco Girls Chorus, and several guest artists, including Les Claypool and Josh Freese. He also assisted Edwin Outwater and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for their residency at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando, Florida, which featured artists such as Jennifer Hudson, Leon Bridges, Lyle Lovett, and Audra McDonald. Other conductors David assisted include Teddy Abrams, Eric Jacobsen, and Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser.

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David holds degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Eastman School of Music, and the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.