Artistic Director & Co-Founder — Conductor
Alex Deng is an American conductor, composer, violist, and arts advocate whose work sits at the intersection of symphonic music, civic leadership and public affairs. As the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the San Gabriel Valley Symphony, Alex leads with a mission to reimagine what a symphony can be—expanding access, amplifying unheard voices, and using music as a tool for civic engagement. He views the symphony not just as a performing ensemble, but as a mutual aid organization for the arts: responsive to community needs, built on solidarity, and grounded in cultural equity.

Alex made his international conducting debut in 2022 with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica, leading a sold-out program that premiered his original work Torch of Dreams alongside music by John Williams. Since then, he has conducted major orchestras around the world, including the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra (Thailand), the Sofia Philharmonic and Vratsa Symphony (Bulgaria).

His compositions, which bridge cinematic and classical idioms, have been performed by the Northern Film Orchestra (UK), European Recording Orchestra (Bulgaria), and Budapest Scoring Orchestra (Hungary). His notable works include Victory, Love, and Farewell—a tribute to the victims of the Monterey Park mass shooting—and Winds of Solidarity, commissioned for the Stanislaus County Honor Band.

Beyond the podium, Alex serves as an Event Lead at Tonebase, where he produces large-scale live events for classical musicians, educators, and institutions. He also contracts national touring orchestras with Price Attractions, supporting live music productions across the U.S.

Raised in a working-class immigrant family in Alhambra, California, Alex studied music and public policy at the University of Southern California. His dual background in the arts and civic leadership shapes every project he undertakes—whether mentoring young composers through Through The Staff, producing the Jazz on Main Street series in Alhambra, or partnering with local governments to make classical music part of daily life.

With the San Gabriel Valley Symphony, Alex is building a homegrown symphony that’s not just about concerts—it’s about culture, community, and the power of public art to transform lives.

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