Bio
Connor Buckley is a pianist, vocal coach, and conductor originally from Western Maryland. This season, he joins the Artist in Residence Program at Opera Colorado and returns to the Lakes Area Music Festival as repetiteur. He recently served as staff pianist and coach at Chicago Summer Opera, Conductor/Associate Music Director at Nebraska Repertory Theatre, Assistant Conductor at Sarasota Opera, and completed a Guest Artist residency with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Prior to these appointments, he was a Resident Artist at the Lakes Area Music Festival and an Apprentice Artist at Palm Beach Opera.
Previously, he joined the music staff at Des Moines Metro Opera, where he also served as Music Director for Opera Iowa’s educational outreach tour. His additional experience includes roles with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the San Francisco Opera Center, and the Manhattan School of Music.
Connor is a highly regarded performer in chamber and recital settings and has demonstrated his versatility as a conductor through various choral and musical theatre performances. His accompaniment expertise has supported coachings and masterclasses led by prominent figures such as Julia Bullock, Martin Katz, Ian Bostridge, César Ulloa, Susanne Mentzer, and Libby Larsen. He is a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Ithaca College.