Jamie
Reeves

Biography

Jamie Reeves is a conductor recognized for his leadership in developing large-scale orchestral projects that bridge contemporary music, cultural narrative, and the symphonic canon — and for shaping programs that expand both the artistic and civic role of the orchestra.

He serves as Music Director of the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, where his tenure has been defined by ambitious collaborations, commissioning initiatives, and nationally recognized artistic projects that position the orchestra as a dynamic cultural force within its community and beyond.

A defining feature of Reeves’s work is his commitment to living composers and culturally resonant programming. He is the creator of the Alabama Composers Project, a multi-season initiative commissioning new works connected to Alabama’s cultural and historical landscape. In 2025, he appointed acclaimed composer Nkeiru Okoye as the inaugural William Levi Dawson Composer-in-Residence, culminating in the 2026 world premiere of A Time for Jubilee — a large-scale choral-orchestral work commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March.

In the 2026–2027 season, Reeves leads the Montgomery Symphony in a landmark collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma, opening the orchestra’s 50th anniversary season with a performance of the Dvořák Cello Concerto. He has also served as cover conductor with both the New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl.

His collaborations include performances with distinguished soloists including Jeffrey Biegel, Geneva Lewis, Laquita Mitchell, Evren Ozel, Natasha Paremski, and Santiago Cañón-Valencia. Guest engagements include the Chattanooga Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, New Mexico Philharmonic, and Omaha Symphony.

Reeves’s artistic development includes the Lucerne Festival Masterclass with Bernard Haitink and the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music with Cristian Măcelaru. He has been recognized as a finalist in both the Grzegorz Fitelberg and Besançon International Conducting Competitions. He holds conducting degrees from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, where he studied with Marin Alsop, David Effron, Arthur Fagen, John Ratledge, and Joseph Young.