Anthony Parnther

Anthony Parnther has forged a conducting career that spans the world’s leading orchestras, Pulitzer Prize–winning composers, and the Hollywood recording stage. Described as “a conductor for the future” (The New York Times), “the quintessential L.A. musician of our day” (Los Angeles Times), and “Hollywood’s go-to conductor for epic projects” (Billboard), he serves as Music Director of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Parnther has led many of the world’s foremost orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. In the 2026–27 season, he makes his London Symphony Orchestra debut with the world premiere of David Önaç’s Atlantic Requiem, featuring J’Nai Bridges, Orson Van Gay II, and the BBC Singers, as well as returning to the New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and Chineke!, which he leads at Germany’s Heidelberg Frühling Festival and London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

In 2025–26, Parnther led the New York Philharmonic’s Opening Night Gala concert, featuring Cécile McLorin Salvant; conducted The Philadelphia Orchestra’s New Year’s Eve concert; returned to The Cleveland Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, and San Francisco Symphony; made debuts at the Cincinnati May Festival and with the Boston Pops at Tanglewood, in one of several collaborations with Cynthia Erivo; and served as the lead conductor for Ludwig Göransson’s Academy Award–, Golden Globe–, BAFTA–, and Grammy Award–winning score for Sinners.

Last season, Parnther led the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s world premiere performances of James Lee III’s Phenomenal Queen: Coretta Scott King. He also conducted the premieres of two major commissions commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence: Peter Boyer and Mark Campbell’s oratorio A Hundred Years On, with The Philadelphia Orchestra, and Patricia Leonard’s Persistence of the Dream, in his debut with ROCO (River Oaks Chamber Orchestra).

Over the course of his career, Parnther has collaborated with artists including Jon Batiste, Joshua Bell, Julia Bullock, Cynthia Erivo, Randall Goosby, Lynn Harrell, Jennifer Holliday, Wynton Marsalis, Anthony McGill, Jessye Norman, Leslie Odom Jr., Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Frederica von Stade. He has premiered and recorded works by Pulitzer Prize laureates Anthony Davis, Michael Abels, Julia Wolfe, George Walker, and Lewis Spratlan.

Parnther has earned the trust of the world’s leading media composers and has conducted recording sessions for many of the world’s most iconic entertainment franchises, including Disney, Star Wars, Avatar, Marvel, Ghostbusters, Black Panther, Transformers, Creed, Minions, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Ice Age, PAW Patrol, League of Legends, American Dad!, Looney Tunes, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. His recording credits also include the Academy Award–winning films Oppenheimer and Sinners, the Grammy Award–winning animated musical Encanto, and the Emmy Award–winning series The Mandalorian.

Beyond the podium, Parnther is one of Hollywood’s most sought-after recording bassoonists, collaborating closely with many of the industry’s most celebrated composers, including John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Alan Silvestri, Thomas Newman, James Newton Howard, Alexandre Desplat, Michael Giacchino, John Powell, and Randy Newman. His bassoon playing has been featured on hundreds of film, television, and video game scores, including as the featured solo bassoonist on Only Murders in the Building, Looney Tunes, and Animaniacs.

He divides his time between Los Angeles and Palm Springs.