Conductors
Norman Huynh
Music Director
American conductor Norman Huynh is widely recognized for his expressive musicianship, technical excellence, imaginative programming, and remarkable ability to connect audiences with the power of live orchestral music. Since becoming Music Director of the Bozeman Symphony, he has inspired audiences with bold artistic vision while leading the orchestra into an exciting period of growth and innovation.
An accomplished guest conductor, Norman has appeared with many of North America’s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, where he made a sold-out subscription debut. His guest engagements also include the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Mobile Symphony Orchestra, Oregon Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Portland Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, and the Britt Music & Arts Festival. In 2025, he served as conductor for the Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition, leading the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra in the final round.
Norman also serves as Music Director of the Britt Festival Orchestra in Jacksonville, Oregon. As the orchestra’s artistic leader, he guides the acclaimed ensemble through its annual summer season, conducting performances at the celebrated outdoor Britt Pavilion while shaping artistic programming and collaborating with internationally renowned guest artists.
Known for his versatility, Norman conducts repertoire spanning the Baroque era to today’s most compelling contemporary works. His collaborative artistry has led to performances with celebrated classical musicians including Itzhak Perlman, Augustin Hadelich, Edgar Meyer, Pablo Sáinz Villegas, Kevin Puts, Andy Akiho, and Philip Glass, as well as acclaimed artists from R&B, hip-hop, pop, and folk, including Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Leslie Odom Jr., Wyclef Jean, Nas, Gregory Alan Isakov, Pink Martini, and Boyz II Men. He has also earned praise for conducting live-to-film productions, from An American in Paris to the beloved Harry Potter film series.
A proud first-generation Asian American, Norman is deeply committed to making classical music welcoming and accessible for everyone. His own musical journey began as a 12-year-old trombonist in Alabama, an experience that continues to inspire his passion for engaging new audiences. Throughout his career, he has championed innovative community programs, including the Portland Symphony Orchestra’s popular Symphony & Spirits series, which introduced younger audiences to orchestral music through relaxed, social concert experiences. He also helped establish the orchestra’s award-winning PSO Explorers education program, efforts recognized with the 2015 Yale Distinguished Music Educator Award for innovative approaches to music education.
In 2012, Norman co-founded the Occasional Symphony in Baltimore, an adventurous chamber orchestra dedicated to presenting concerts in unexpected venues, from half-restored Gothic churches to neighborhood restaurants, while pairing traditional masterworks with newly commissioned compositions. The ensemble continues to earn critical acclaim for its imaginative programming and commitment to expanding the concert experience.
Earlier in his career, Norman served as Associate Conductor of the Oregon Symphony and Assistant Conductor of the Portland Symphony Orchestra (Maine). He was selected to participate in the 2022 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and was a prestigious Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Scholarship recipient, studying under the legendary maestro Kurt Masur.
Norman lives in Bozeman, where he enjoys stargazing, board games, and spending time with his family.
This video was made possible in part by Sal and Carol Glenn Lalani.
Conor Whalen
Symphonic Choir Director
Conor Whalen is a conductor and artistic leader whose work spans symphonic, operatic, and choral repertoire throughout the United States and abroad. Recognized for his energetic leadership, expressive interpretations, and thoughtful programming, he is known for fostering vibrant artistic communities while maintaining a steadfast commitment to musical excellence.
He joined the Bozeman Symphony as Cover Conductor and Director of the Bozeman Symphonic Choir for the 2025-26 season. In this role, he prepares and conducts the choir while collaborating with the orchestra’s artistic team on classical programming. Recent projects have included Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast, Lauriden’s Lux Aeterna, and preparations for Dvořák’s Mass in D Major and Verdi’s Requiem. In 2027, he will appear as guest conductor with Paducah Symphony Orchestra in a special program featuring Tony Award-winning performer Leslie Odom Jr., and with Victoria Operatic Society in British Columbia as music director for Into the Woods.
A dedicated champion of choral artistry, Conor is the founder and former Music and Artistic Director of the Conejo Valley Choral Society in California. Under his leadership, the ensemble presented ambitious performances of major choral-orchestral masterworks, including Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Dixit Dominus, Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, and Bach’s Mass in B Minor. He also led the organization’s inaugural European tour in 2025, with performances in Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
His conducting career includes leadership roles with Opera NEO, Boston Conservatory Opera, the Newburyport Choral Society, and numerous academic and professional ensembles. In the operatic realm, he has conducted and prepared productions of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Rossini’s Don Pasquale, Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, and Britten’s The Turn of the Screw. This breadth of experience allows him to bring versatility, stylistic insight, and dramatic sensitivity to a wide range of repertoire.
Passionate about audience engagement, Conor frequently presents pre-concert talks and educational programs designed to deepen listeners’ connections to orchestral and vocal masterworks. He has participated in conducting masterclasses and competitions across Europe and North America, including appearances in Italy, Hungary, Romania, and the Czech Republic, and has studied with distinguished conductors and pedagogues, including Dr. George Case, Andrew Altenbach, Alice Parker, Simon Carrington, and Charles Olivieri-Munroe.
Conor holds a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and a Bachelor of Science degree in Music from Murray State University.
Dr. Matthew Makeever
Assistant Conductor and Librarian
This season marks an exciting new chapter for Matthew Makeever as he expands his role on the Bozeman Symphony’s artistic team, stepping onto the podium as conductor of the Symphony’s annual education and community concerts, as well as the Nutcracker and Giselle collaborations with Montana Ballet. It’s a natural evolution for a musician whose deep roots in the organization and in the Bozeman community have shaped both his artistry and vision.
In this integral position, Matthew will work closely with Music Director Norman Huynh, providing vital artistic support while helping bring these performances to life with clarity, cohesion, and expressive depth. Known for his technical precision and insightful musicianship, he approaches conducting as both a craft and a collaboration.
“This is an exciting opportunity for me to contribute my skills, collaborating closely with Norman to ensure that the musical vision for each performance is realized to its fullest potential,” he says.
Matthew’s journey with the Bozeman Symphony has been multifaceted. Over the past three years, he has served as Concert Manager and Orchestra Librarian, roles that have given him a unique, behind-the-scenes understanding of the organization’s artistic engine. His conducting experience, however, extends well beyond administrative leadership. A familiar presence on the podium, he has led Montana Ballet’s Nutcracker for several years and currently conducts Bozeman’s Second String Orchestra.
In June 2024, he stepped into the spotlight for At the Movies: The Music of John Williams, conducting a selection that carried special personal significance: the concert marked the final performance of his mother, Sue Makeever, as the Symphony’s principal flute. The moment reflected not only a milestone in his own career but also the enduring musical legacy of his family.
A Bozeman native, Matthew’s connection to music began almost as soon as he could walk. By the age of two, he was already captivated. Family videos show a toddler enthusiastically “conducting,” while exploring instruments around the house. His first formal introduction came with a cornet from his toy box, and lessons from his father soon transformed curiosity into lifelong dedication.
Music runs deep in the Makeever family. His parents, Jerry and Sue, along with his sister Megan, have each contributed to the Bozeman Symphony and the broader community for decades. Jerry served as the Symphony’s principal trumpet for 47 years and continues to perform, while Sue recently concluded an 18-year tenure as principal flute and continues to perform as second flute after 37 seasons. Megan, a versatile musician and educator, performs as a substitute flutist, sings, and teaches the next generation of artists.
Matthew carried his passion into his formal studies, performing in the Symphony’s brass section from 2004 - 2013 before pursuing advanced training. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Montana State University, followed by a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting and Trumpet Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Utah. Along the way, he served as principal trumpet in multiple ensembles and held conducting positions with a range of orchestras, refining both his technical command and artistic voice.
Now, with his return to the Bozeman Symphony in 2023 and his expanded role this season, Matthew brings his experience full circle—combining professional excellence with a deeply personal connection to the community he calls home.
Outside the concert hall, he and his wife, Ashley, a vocalist, share a love of travel and discovering new places. Whether spending time with their two cats, Smeagol and Goose, enjoying a craft beer, or finding quiet restoration in Montana’s rivers, trails, and open landscapes, Matthew embraces the balance between artistic intensity and everyday joy.