Named Musical America's April 2023 New Artist of the Month and internationally recognized for his "profound artistry" (The San Diego Union Tribune), Sameer Patel is one of America's most exciting conductors. Equally at home conducting world premieres and traditional classical works, Patel’s infectious enthusiasm for music is felt by musicians, audiences, and students alike.

Patel is the newly appointed Music Director and Orchestra Conductor of the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus. Guided by a passion for sharing a lifelong love for music, he is also the Artistic Director of the San Diego Youth Symphony – a transformational organization that reaches more than 3,000 students through its thirteen ensembles, El Sistema-inspired community programs, and early childhood music classes. Formerly, he served for six seasons as Associate Conductor of the Sun Valley Music Festival and held an acclaimed tenure as Associate Conductor of the San Diego Symphony, where he reinvigorated the orchestra's programming and connection with its community.

Recent performances include Puccini’s Tosca with Houston’s Opera in the Heights, as well as concerts with the orchestras of Chicago, Toronto, St. Louis, Detroit, New Jersey, Baltimore, Princeton, Sarasota, Florida, Phoenix, Grand Rapids, Sacramento, Toledo, New Hampshire, Bozeman, Savannah, Fresno, Knoxville, Alabama, Naples, Reading, and Jacksonville. He has also appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Abroad, Patel has conducted performances with the Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo, the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana, and the Leipziger Sinfonieorchester.

Patel studied at the University of Michigan and furthered his training across Europe with some of the greatest conductors of our time, including Gianandrea Noseda, Daniele Gatti, David Zinman, Paavo Järvi, and the late conductors Kurt Masur and Bernard Haitink. Proudly born and raised in Michigan, Patel makes his home in San Diego with his wife, Shannon, and two children, Devan and Veda. In his spare time, Patel pursues his passions for literature, languages, jazz, traveling, history, and tennis.

Sameer spent three joyful seasons as Associate Conductor of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and is excited to return to Fort Wayne to work with the stellar young musicians of Indiana!