Biography
About Dr. Galant
Second Lieutenant David M. Galant serves as Flight Commander of The United States Air Force Band, Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling, Washington, D.C. He assists the Commander in leading, organizing, and equipping a squadron of 184 Airmen–who execute more than 1,600 missions annually throughout the National Capital Region and around the world.
Prior to his commission, Dr. Galant was Director of Orchestras at the Eastern Kentucky University School of Music, where he conducted the Symphony Orchestra, Musical Theatre Pit Orchestra, and Opera Orchestra, while teaching both undergraduate and graduate conducting. Before his tenure at EKU, he served as Assistant Professor of Music at Creighton University, where he directed the University Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Ensemble and taught courses in Conducting, Music History, Aural Skills and Dictation, and Musical Theatre Lab.
Dr. Galant earned both his Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees in Orchestral Conducting from the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, graduating with high honors. He also holds a Bachelor of Music Education and Single Subject Teaching Credential from the Bob Cole Conservatory and College of Education at California State University, Long Beach.
An active conductor of distinction, Dr. Galant previously served as Music Director and Conductor of the Kanesville Symphony Orchestra, which partnered with Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment (PACE) to present performances at the Hoff Family Arts and Culture Center. He has conducted internationally at the Dohnányi Conducting Academy in Hungary, the International Institute for Conductors in Bulgaria, the Prague Summer Nights Young Artists Festival in the Czech Republic, the Miami Music Festival in Florida, the Wintergreen Summer Music Festival in Virginia, and the International Conductors Workshop and Competition in Georgia. A finalist in the Serbian Lányi Conducting Competition, he has also competed in the Princess Astrid, Only Stage, Antal Doráti, Hans von Bülow, and Philadelphia International Conducting Competitions.
Dr. Galant is recognized for his energetic, expressive, and engaging presence on the podium. His guest conducting engagements have included collaborations with the Charleston Symphony, Vidin State Philharmonic Orchestra, Dohnányi Orchestra, Klassische Philharmonie, Czech Philharmonic, Prague Symphony, Boulder Chamber Orchestra, and Holland Symphony.
An accomplished opera conductor, Dr. Galant has led acclaimed productions of Suor Angelica, Carmen, The Magic Flute, The Tender Land, L’elisir d’amore, and La traviata with the Muddy River Opera Company in Quincy, Illinois. Dedicated to expanding access to opera, he also served as Assistant Conductor with Winter Opera St. Louis for its production of Die Fledermaus at the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts.
Dr. Galant has also had the privilege of premiering Helen and The Cask of Amontillado as a advocate of new music in the operatic genre.
Equally experienced in musical theatre, Dr. Galant has served as Music Director for numerous productions throughout the Midwest, including Seussical, Into the Woods, Princess Diana, Next to Normal, The Secret Garden, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Highest Yellow, Mamma Mia!, My Fair Lady, Catch Me If You Can, Chess, and Sweeney Todd. His theatre collaborations include the Lincoln Community Playhouse, TADA Theatre, OmniArts Nebraska, Chanticleer Community Theatre, and Papillion–La Vista Community Theatre.
Dr. Galant’s leadership extends to the choral community as well. He previously served as Music Director and Conductor for the Papillion Area Community Singers, the Nebraska Christian Men’s Chorus, and the St. James United Methodist Chancel Choir in Bellevue, Nebraska.
While pursuing graduate studies at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Dr. Galant co-founded and directed the UNL Campus Orchestra, taught beginning conducting, and conducted the Advanced and Intermediate Opera Scenes Courses. He also served as Assistant Conductor for UNL Opera productions of Don Giovanni, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Little Women, Don Pasquale, Così fan tutte, and Far From Heaven.
Dr. Galant is deeply committed to education and community service, continually seeking to inspire through performance, teaching, and mentorship. In his leisure time, he enjoys traveling with his wife Megan and going outdoors with his maltipoo Moira.
Dr. Galant has studied under some of the most prominent conductors in the world. They include Keith Lockhart (Boston Pops Orchestra), Manfred Honek (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra), Semyon Bychkov (Royal Academy of Music), Gerard Schwarz (Seattle Symphony), Victor Yampolsky (Northwestern University), David Effron (Indiana University), Neil Varon (Eastman School of Music), Edward Polochick (Lincoln Symphony Orchestra), Thomas Wilkins (Omaha Symphony Orchestra), Mark Gibson (Cincinnati School of Music), Ken Lam (Charleston Symphony), James Burton (Metropolitan Opera House), Frieder Bernius (Klassische Philharmonie of Stuttgart), Gábor Hollerung (Dohnányi Orchestra), and Robert Gutter (Philharmonia of Greensboro).
“He pushes the envelope.”
— 90.7 KVNO, Omaha
