Anthony Blake Clark

Anthony Blake Clark is a leading voice among his generation of choral conductors, widely praised for his “readily apparent musicality” (Baltimore Sun) and his belief in the transformative power of classical music for both performers and audiences.

Clark has collaborated with many of the world’s most prominent orchestras and conductors. He has prepared choirs for the Berliner Philharmoniker, Dallas Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Vienna Radio Orchestra, and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, working with conductors such as Marin Alsop, Fabio Luisi, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, and Simon Halsey. His choirs have performed in major international venues including the Berlin Philharmonie, Vienna Konzerthaus, Symphony Hall Birmingham (UK), St. Martin-in-the-Fields London, the Kennedy Center, and Washington National Cathedral. 

Maestro Clark was appointed to the role of Chorus Director for the Dallas Symphony following three acclaimed collaborations with the DSO in 2022–2023. Repertoire highlights include Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, Orff’sCarmina Burana and Catulli Carmina, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and Schmidt’s rarely performed Das Buch mit Sieben Siegeln. These performances have been broadcast on platforms such as Medici TV and the DSO’s “Next Stage.” His work will also be featured on the Dallas Symphony’s upcoming commercial releases of Wagner’s Ring Cycle and Schmidt’s oratorio. 

As Music Director of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Clark has elevated the ensemble’s artistic profile and has developed a comprehensive outreach and education program. Under his leadership, the ensemble has received the Chorus America/ASCAP Alice Parker Award and an American Prize in Choral Conducting. His annual holiday broadcast Christmas with Choral Arts—now aired on Maryland PBS—has received three regional Emmy® nominations. With BCAS, Clark has led international tours, including a sold-out UK residency with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 (soon to be repeated in a joint performance under Fabio Luisi with the Dallas Symphony), and their Berlin Philharmonie debut with the Freie Universität Orchester. BCAS joined the Vienna Singakademie and Vienna Radio Orchestra under Marin Alsop in 2022 for a program of Bernstein. Recently, Baltimore Choral Arts appeared once again with Marin Alsop, this time at the Washington National Cathedral in performances of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony with the National Orchestra Institute.

Clark also served as Artistic Director of Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New York City, presenting historically informed performances of Bach’s sacred works in their original liturgical context. He has held additional posts as Interim Director of Choruses for the Richmond Symphony Orchestra and as Director of Choral Activities at The George Washington University.

In addition to his choral achievements, Clark maintains an active orchestral presence. He made his conducting debuts with both the Baltimore, Dallas, and Richmond Symphonies, and has served as cover conductor for the National Symphony Orchestra, assisting Ton Koopman, Gianandrea Noseda, Teddy Abrams, Manfred Honeck, and Christoph Eschenbach. In 2025–2026, Clark will debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Amarillo Opera, Amarillo Symphony, and Vienna Singakademie. He also serves as Co-Artistic Director of the Amalfi Music Festival Choir Week in Italy, returning in summer 2026.

Dr. Clark earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting at the Peabody Institute under the mentorship of Marin Alsop. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Birmingham (UK), where he studied with Simon Halsey whom he considers his lifelong mentor. He also studied with Simon Carrington and Lynne Gackle.