John Young Shik Concklin, conductor, is Music Director of the Spartanburg Philharmonic and Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra. He also serves as Conductor with the Atlanta Music Project and Piedmont Chamber Orchestra. 

 

John was National Finalist for the 2019-2020 American Prize in Conducting. He has competed internationally at the Almaty Conducting Competition, the Nino Rota Conducting Competition, and the Città di Brescia Conducting Competition. He is also regularly invited to support the Nashville, Atlanta, and Kansas City Symphony Orchestras. 

 

Previous positions include Associate Conductor of the Georgia Symphony, Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, and faculty appointments at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, Furman University, Clemson University, and Converse College.  He has been a fellowship conductor at the Aspen Music Festival, a teaching assistant at the Brevard Music Center, and a finalist at the New World Symphony and Debut Orchestras. 

 

A flexible musician, John has also performed as concertmaster of the Superbowl Halftime Show, was engaged to conduct the national anthem at the 2020 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship (canceled due to COVID-19), and collaborated with Monica, the Grammy-winning artist.

 

John studied at Vanderbilt University, Yale University, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. He is grateful for his mentors, which include David Zinman, Carl Topilow, Shinik Hahm, and Robin Fountain. He received further training from Lorin Maazel and Michael Tilson-Thomas.  

 

John and his wife, Lauren Maxwell, co-founded Mozart for a Cause, an annual concert that raises funds for local causes.