Highly regarded for his exhilarating score interpretations, advocacy for music accessibility, innate passion and entrepreneurial spirit, Devin Patrick Hughes is an American orchestral and operatic conductor of Irish and Guatemalan descent. He is concurrently serving as Artistic Director & Conductor of Symphony of the Rockies, and Music Director and Conductor of the Boulder Symphony & Music Academy. Previously he has held artistic leadership positions with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association, Denver Young Artists Orchestra, and Denver Philharmonic Orchestra.

Devin was recently one of three Americans invited to the Erich Bergel International Conducting Competition in Romania, the Antal Dorati Conducting Competition in Hungary, and featured in Maestro, the Solti International Conducting Competition as a semi-finalist in Budapest. He was the only American selected with eleven other conductors worldwide to compete in the Toscanini International Conducting Competition in Italy, and was a conducting fellow at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen. He has conducted orchestras across North America and Europe including the Winnipeg Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Des Moines Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Salina Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony, Green Bay Symphony, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina, Tîrgu Mureș State Philharmonic, and Orchestra of the Hungarian State Opera.

In response to COVID-19, Devin has created multiple programs connecting orchestras to their communities including the Virtual Virtuoso Series & Music Connects Series, partnering with organizations such as Balfour Senior Assisted Living, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Breckenridge Brewery, and Community Food Share to produce performances and events both virtually and live. As an advocate for community music making and inclusivity, Devin created the Boulder Symphony Music Academy, which currently serves over 100 students and makes music education universally accessible regardless of income ability in partnership with the Jared Foundation. In addition to producing outdoor and drive in concerts, including Boulder Arts Outdoors, Brass in the Park-ing Lot, and the world-renowned Takács Quartet, Devin can be heard on One Symphony, a podcast amplifying the voices of composers, performers, and other artistic entrepreneurs. As the founding Music Director & Conductor of Symphony of the Rockies and Boulder Symphony & Music Academy, Devin has fostered sustainable livings for those in the arts by raising millions of dollars that directly support professional musicians, teachers, composers, performers, and administrators. His initiatives and spirit create a culture that attracts those who want to make the orchestra approachable, assessable, and relevant for all.

Devoted to music existing for a greater communal purpose, Devin attracts and creatively engages audiences of all backgrounds by bringing the stories behind the music to life and inspiring critically acclaimed performances. He has pioneered an Emerging Artists program, a summer camp for all ages, and has held benefit concerts for organizations such as the Red Cross, Oxfam International, Cultures in Harmony, and the Colorado Haiti Project. His Discovery and Curiosity programs, created by Extra Crispy Creatives, a company he started, serve thousands of students and families each year with immersive and inspiring symphonic concert and educational content. He has also served as an AmeriCorps tutor, mentor and coach for Nothing But Achievers, and the Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony, where he arranged spirituals for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. March.

Devin has partnered to make music more universally accessible through organizations such as Carnegie Hall’s LinkUp, I Have A Dream, Circle of Care, Freemasons, Boulder Muse, El Sistema, Flatirons Strings Academy, Burrell School of the Performing Arts, and Pinnacle Charter School in Denver. Through the Glow Project and other sensory-friendly performances geared to those with autism and dementia, Devin has created programs tailored to those who cannot experience the full sound and stimulation of a live symphony orchestra. He has chaired multiple foundational competitions nurturing the development of young performers, composers, and conductors, and serves as guest clinician for student ensembles across the United States. Aside from Devin's frequent appearances as a clinician and speaker, he has taught courses at the Denver Academy for Lifelong Learning and the Music Schools of the University of Denver, Ithaca College in New York, and New Mexico School for the Arts and serves as an annual guest artist with the International Keyboard Odyssiad and Festival.

Equally active in choral and operatic repertoire, Devin has made community collaborations a recurrent part of orchestral life. He has combined local orchestras, businesses and non-profits to begin a community-based opera program which combines seasoned operatic professionals with aspiring artists and enthusiastic community members to create unique operatic experiences. This grassroots opera initiative based in Colorado attracts dozens of vocalists nationwide per season for critically acclaimed opera and operetta productions along the Front Range, and spawned a new Opera Chorus that performs with orchestras across the region. Among others, Devin has led productions of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Puccini’s La Bohème, Bizet’s Carmen, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, Brahms’ German Requiem, and has also premiered choral-orchestral works by living composers such as Ozie Cargile, Austin Wintory & Gregory T.S. Walker.

A zealous performer and promoter of the music of our time, Devin has fostered multiple composer-in-residency programs premiering dozens of new works.  He has also constructed innovative avenues to bring new music to the forefront of the classical music scene and involve students in the symphonic orchestra. His Crescendo program provides professional support and supplemental educational initiatives for elementary to high school arts programs. Under his leadership, Symphony of the Rockies (formerly Arapahoe Philharmonic) and the Boulder Symphony have become pillars for symphonic excellence and approachability, and a centralized hub for symphonic innovation, community-wide outreach and education initiatives, major collaborations, operatic performances, and premieres of exciting new music with regularly sold-out performances.  

Dedicated to highlighting local composers and exploring the interplay of music, theatre, art, and dance, Devin also commissioned and performed multiple musical responses to exhibitions in the Museum of Contemporary Art during Denver Arts Week. Recently Devin has brought premieres of award winning composers Anna Clyne and Sarah Kirkland Snider’s music to Colorado and initiated a collaboration between abstract painter Will Day and composer Jonathan Bingham which resulted in music and art extemporaneously being created in real-time in collaboration with the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. As a civic-minded citizen and ambassador for the arts, Devin was appointed by City Council to serve as Arts & Culture Commissioner for the City of Boulder. Devin’s education includes studies at Ithaca College School of Music, University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, Grinnell College, Vienna Conservatory of Music, and Ball State University.

See Devin Patrick Hughes on 9News

Listen to Devin Patrick Hughes on One Symphony

Devin on the Boulderista Podcast

Devin Patrick Hughes believes the symphony orchestra is one of the most powerful and collaborative expressions of human creativity.
His mission is to connect with and profoundly affect the human spirit through vibrant symphonic performance, innovative programming, and meaningful community engagement.

“My vision is for the symphony to be fully woven into the cultural life of the communities it serves. In the 21st century, orchestras must do more than preserve great music—they must actively invite people into the experience of discovery, emotion, and shared meaning that live music uniquely provides.

The modern orchestra thrives when it reflects both tradition and curiosity. Alongside the great masterworks, it is essential to champion living composers, present diverse voices, and explore the connections between classical music and the wider cultural landscape—from film and opera to jazz, folk traditions, and contemporary creative expression.

I believe orchestras must meet people where they are. That means performing both inside and beyond the concert hall, creating educational opportunities, interactive family experiences, and programs that resonate with audiences who may be encountering orchestral music for the first time. When people experience the power of a live orchestra—whether through Beethoven, Florence Price, Mahler, or a world premiere—they discover that classical music is not distant or exclusive, but deeply human.”

As a conductor, Hughes is known for programming that balances beloved repertoire with new discoveries, often pairing major symphonic works with contemporary voices and American composers. His concerts frequently explore themes that connect music with broader human stories—nature, cultural identity, storytelling, and the shared emotional experiences that unite audiences across generations.

Hughes also believes the orchestra itself offers a powerful model for society.

“The symphony represents cooperation at its highest level. Each musician brings extraordinary individuality, yet the music only comes alive when everyone listens, adapts, and contributes to something larger than themselves. It is a reminder that collaboration, empathy, and shared purpose can produce something far greater than any individual effort.

At its heart, classical music reminds us that creativity, imagination, and compassion are essential parts of the human experience. When we gather to listen together, we recognize that we are all connected—and that together we can shape a richer cultural life for our communities.”

“Everyone loves classical music—they just may not know it yet. When people experience it in the right context, with curiosity and openness, they discover how powerful, joyful, and transformative it can be.”

-Devin Patrick Hughes

“But this orchestra, under the direction of Devin Hughes, has come a long way. Mr. Hughes is a fine musician and is certainly capable of getting much out of this orchestra. He proved beyond a doubt that he knows what Brahms and Dvorak are made of, and he draws a wonderful vigorousness and excitement from everyone in front of him. It is contagious!”
— Opus Colorado
“Hughes has proven an ambitious music director, eager to take the orchestra in a new direction and define for it a new role in the community. Today’s concert is a fine example of his success. An adventurous program featuring two world premieres documents Hughes’ willingness to move beyond established repertory.”
— Boulder Daily Camera
“Mr. Hughes himself is another brilliant star in our community musical compendium. The Sultan of all things who comports himself with such aplomb and has such charisma for one who is probably older (chronologically) than he appears—it almost gives one pause. And then you have to look at all that talent and just think “WOW.””
— Boulder Music Festivals Examiner
 
“One thing every arts organization should take note of is how Devin Hughes breaks the fourth wall. Creating an experience where people feel welcome, included, and fully engaged equals an unforgettable concert!

Before we performed Beethoven’s 6th Symphony, Devin connected with the audience in a way that made the music come alive. He had the orchestra play excerpts and asked the audience for adjectives they associate with Beethoven. People spoke up: “Passionate, Rock & Roll, Mean, Stormy.” He even turned the second movement into a game. Guess the birds represented in the piece correctly and win a Boulder Symphony chocolate bar.

This kind of interaction explains why Boulder Symphony & Music Academy has such a devoted and sold-out following. Amazing. ”
— Holly Mulcahy, violinist, classical music entrepreneur
“The Discovery Concert was the best child-centered symphony I have ever been to (that is saying something in 32 years of teaching!). Furthermore, crafting a delightful musical experience that engaged, entertained, and educated third and fourth graders is no small feat! Thank you for providing an opportunity for them to fall in love with music and inspiring them to want to play it. ”
— Heather Ward, teacher
 
“Hughes shared the sense of mystery and reverie so inherent in this piece of music. It highlighted his ability to communicate with the orchestra using facial expression and his ever-changing technique, switching from steady beats to conducting in huge, sweeping phrases, to draw what he wanted from the orchestra. It was very clear from the orchestra’s reaction to, and partnership with Devin Hughes, that they were having a very good time wallowing in the music. It was full of life... the tempo of the third movement, the Minuet, was absolutely perfect. He truly imparts to them the joy and excitement of making music. As he conducts, it is clear that he views his relationship with the orchestra as a partnership.”
— Opus Colorado
 
“Each shift of mood received appropriate attention and even the two livelier melodies (I Got Plenty and It Ain’t Necessarily So) acquired a different flavor in Hughes’ emphasis upon tempo, dynamics, and punchiness (or smoothness) of rhythmic emphasis.
Conductor Devin Patrick Hughes deserves a large measure of the credit: to stretch one’s musicians (and one’s audience) without overwhelming them is a challenge in itself.”
— The Scen3: Art.Science.Culture.
 
“I loved the entire concert, and I am absolutely delighted and ecstatic with your performance of American Solstice with the Arapahoe Philharmonic! It was such a musical performance with an outstanding and sensitive interpretation. The balance between the musicians was perfect with beautifully shaped phrases, transitions, and the effectiveness of the dynamics totally enhanced the performance. You brought out superbly the layering of the melodies. Solstice was written as a ballet, and your interpretation would have been the ideal partner for the ballet. Thank you for performing American Solstice. Kudos to you and the performers of the Arapahoe Philharmonic!!”
— Barbara Harbach, composer
 
“ Our grandchildren, ages 12, 9, 7, and 6, had a great time seeing the instruments and being able to play many of them. I really appreciated the children’s participation. Mr. Hughes was so kind to include them and really help educate them and give them a chance to understand and enjoy music.

We appreciated Mr. Hughes’s enthusiasm. I also enjoyed hearing the different instruments being singled out to play by themselves. Who would have thought you could bring the sound of a train and a horse’s whip come to life!”
— Tami Smith, Mom attending a Family Concert
 
“The Discovery Concert was the best child-centered symphony I have ever been to (that is saying something in 32 years of teaching!).

Furthermore, crafting a delightful musical experience that engaged, entertained, and educated third and fourth graders is no small feat! Thank you for providing an opportunity for them to fall in love with music and inspiring them to want to play it.”
— Heather Ward, Elementary Music Teacher
 
“My Wife and I had a wonderful evening at the Symphony of the Rockies - what a wonderful surprise! We really had no idea what to expect but their Conductor, Devin Patrick Hughes was so full of energy that he created passion with the music! Amazing!”
— Robert, severely wounded U.S. Army Veteran through VetTix