Elias Salazar is a distinguished Venezuelan American conductor residing in Nashville, Tennessee. Known for his "precision, clarity, energy, and passion" on the podium, Salazar has made a significant impact in the Nashville music community. He has recently served a five-season tenure as Artistic Director and Conductor for the Trevecca Symphony Orchestra and one season as Music Director of the Belmont University Opera.
Currently, Salazar is the Director of Choral and Orchestral Music at Ensworth School, where he also directs the School of Music. In this role, he oversees three ensembles, teaches academic music courses, and serves as the music director for the spring musicals. His innovative approach and dedication have enhanced the school’s music program significantly.
Salazar’s professional affiliations and leadership roles include serving as the Repertoire and Resources Chair for Contemporary Music on the board of the Tennessee American Choral Directors Association and as a member of the Leadership and Action Council for the Nashville Singers. He is also a vocalist with the acclaimed Portara Ensemble which has been featured at the 2017, 2018, and 2023 CMA Awards and the 2018 CMA Country Christmas program, performing alongside several GRAMMY-winning artists.
His extensive experience includes a two-season tenure as Conducting Fellow with the Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra mentored by Dr. Christopher Norton. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Gateway Chamber Orchestra and as principal conductor for the Nashville Cinematic Symphony, specializing in film music performance and recording. From 2014 to 2016, he was the lead trumpet player and vocalist for the Nashville Salsa Collective, an 8-piece Latin band.
Salazar’s earlier roles include Interim Music Director for the Music City Youth Orchestra, where he led the top ensemble in rehearsals and performances throughout the 2013-2014 season. He has also guest-conducted the Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra (now named the Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra) and Chorus and various ensembles at Belmont University, such as the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber String Orchestra, Opera Theatre, Concert Band, Women’s Choir, and Chamber Singers.
Educated at Belmont University, Salazar double-majored in Music Education with choral and instrumental emphases and Classical Performance with a trumpet emphasis. He studied conducting under Drs. Jeffery Ames, Robert Gregg, Barry Kraus, and Jane Warren, and trumpet with Dr. Joel Treybig. He has also refined his conducting skills under Kelly Corcoran, former Music Director of the Nashville Symphony Chorus and Artistic Director of Intersection.
Salazar's passion for conducting and education drives him to continually strive for excellence in his technique, preparation, interpretation, and performances. His dream is to lead world-class ensembles and inspire audiences worldwide through high-quality, dynamic performances.
Elias undertook a large project in the Nashville area during the summer of 2013 to form an orchestra comprised of college-aged musicians in Middle Tennessee. He and his newly formed Nashville Collegiate Orchestra made up of over 50 musicians were featured in publications such as the Nashville Arts Magazine and gained much attention in the community. Elias and the NCO were featured in Where Are We Now?, a blog about classical and contemporary music in the 21st Century. Their debut concert was a huge success, and each subsequent summer concert grew in ambition and quality. The organization even added a chorus to perform symphonic choral literature with the orchestra. In the spring of 2020, the orchestra halted operations throughout the pandemic, though there is hope for a rebooting of the NCO in the near future!
Elias constantly seeks to collaborate with composers. He has commissioned dozens of new works over the past 15 years and continues to look for opportunities to advance music. He is passionate about creating opportunities for composers to hear their orchestral projects as well as to receive critical feedback from the ensembles he directs. He has collaborated with composers Benjamin Chakoian Jones, Deen Entsminger, Jim Aveni, Michael Quintana, Patrick Dunnevant, Ian Good, and many more.
"One of the most intelligent and inspiring young conductors on the Nashville scene today. His passion and professionalism are contagious.”
- Bill Alexson