Dr. David Oertel
Music Director
David Oertel is Music Director and Conductor of the Starlight Symphony Orchestra and the Austin Philharmonic both located in central Texas. He has directed a variety of ensembles including theatre and opera orchestras and choruses, community bands and orchestras as well as small ensembles, jazz ensembles and silent film orchestras. Oertel has also guest conducted orchestras in Houston, TX, Greensboro, NC, Austin, TX, St. Petersburg, Russia and Zlin, Czech Republic. Oertel has taught at High Point University (NC), North Carolina A&T University and University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Oertel was Music Director of the Lee County Orchestra in North Carolina for thirteen seasons and was celebrated with that orchestras 25th Anniversary season in October 2013.
Oertel has won or been a finalist for several years of The American Prize:
- 2020-2021 Contest – Winner 2nd place for the 2019-2020 season
- 2019-2020 Contest – Winner 3rd place for the 2017-2018 season
- 2018-2019 Contest – Winner 1st place for the 2016-2017 season
- 2017-2018 Contest – Semi-Finalist for the 2015-2016 season
- 2016-2017 Contest – Finalist for the 2014-2015 season
He is also a co-author for the 6th edition of the standard reference book, Daniels’ Orchestral Music due in 2022, and is co-author of Choral-Orchestral Repertoire: A Conductor’s Guide, Omnibus Edition (2019).
Oertel holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro as well as a Masters degree in Applied Performance from the University of Houston. His undergraduate degree, in Music Education, is from the University of North Texas. Oertel has served as conductor and music director for over 30 musical theatre and opera productions including Don Giovanni, Street Scene, Sweeney Todd, Chicago, West Side Story, Grease, Jesus Christ Superstar, Bat Boy, and Seussical the Musical.
Oertel has studied with many conducting luminaries including Robert Linder, David Daniels, Max Rudolf, Kirk Trevor, Samuel Jones, Hans Graf, Niklaus Wyss, Adrian Gnam, Franz Krager, Serge Zehnacher and David Holley.