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Patrick Reynolds

Professor of Conducting; Symphonic Wind Ensemble, University Orchestra

Full-Time Faculty

College of Arts and Sciences: Music

Contact

Email: Patrick Reynolds
Phone: 937-229-3231
FH 481

Degrees

  • DMA, Conducting, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music
  • M.M., Wind Instruments, University of Michigan
  • B.M., Music History and Musicology, University of Michigan

Profile

Dr. Patrick Reynolds is a Professor of Music in his 27th year on the faculty at the University of Dayton. His career as a conductor is enhanced by the variety and range of his experience, including youth, professional, academic and community orchestras. He is a widely respected conductor and music educator, recognized particularly for his sustained record of community-engaged outreach and collaboration. At the University of Dayton, he teaches courses in fundamental and advanced instrumental conducting, and leads the University Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Ensemble. In these ensembles, both of which comprise a broad spectrum of academic majors, he fosters positive and mentoring relationships, inspiring a love for music not only in future music professionals but also in future engineers, scientists, educators, healthcare professionals, business leaders and more. Dr. Reynolds favors a collaborative approach in rehearsal, emphasizing leadership shared with the musicians rather than the more traditional conductor-centric approach, nurturing a sense of individual responsibility and developing trust and leadership from within the ensemble.  In 2020 Dr. Reynolds received the University of Dayton Faculty Award in Teaching. 

In addition to his work at the university, Dr.  Reynolds serves as Associate Conductor of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra (DPO). In an over 25-year commitment to the development and presentation of educational concerts, both with the DPO and nationally with professional orchestras, his performances have reached tens of thousands of young listeners. With the DPO, he conducts the Young People's and Magic Carpet series concerts, and for many years collaborated in planning and conducting the DPO’s curriculum-aligned SPARK (School Partners with Artists Reaching Kids) program. He has conducted young people’s concerts affiliated with the Carnegie Hall LinkUp program. In addition, Dr. Reynolds has conducted the DPO in classical, pops, family and rock series concerts, and in Dayton Opera productions of Verdi's La Traviata, Gounod's Romeo et Juliette, Mozart's The Magic Flute, Menotti's The Consul and Amahl and the Night Visitors, Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance and Puccini’s La Boheme. He is in his 26th year as conductor of the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, an organization selected from the most gifted young musicians in the Dayton region. Dr. Reynolds also serves as conductor of the Giving Strings Orchestra, a community orchestra devoted to raising funds for charitable organizations in the Dayton area.

Dr. Reynolds is a member of Canada’s Royal Conservatory of Music College of Examiners. The College is made up of over 350 distinguished professional teachers and performers from across North America. College members provide evaluations on behalf of The Royal Conservatory, offering valuable feedback, and celebrating the achievement of students participating in The Royal Conservatory Certificate Program. 

Patrick Reynolds earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, and the Master and Bachelor of Music from the University of Michigan. He is married to Sonya Szabo-Reynolds, a pianist, well-respected pedagogue and past president of Ohio Music Teachers Association. 

Professional affiliations

  • College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA): Dr. Reynolds is a member of the College Orchestra Directors Associationnational board and has recently been elected Vice-President of CODA. He will become the organization’s President in 2026-27.
  • National Association for Music Education (NAfME)
  • Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA)
  • Dvorak Society for Czech and Slovak Music

Research interests

  • Conducting
  • Orchestral educational concert programming