Listen to John's story in this episode as he has worked alongside his job as a pilot and flight instructor to build the North Texas Symphony Orchestra, and is finding ways to bring the orchestra to the community. Google Form: https://forms.gle/iDisU5rHf6JRHsMs7 John's Bio:John Porter, native of the North Texas area, is a commercial pilot, flight instructor, orchestralconductor, double bassist, and aircraft engineer. In addition to teaching flight courses andground classes to student, private, instrument, and commercial pilots at Addison ExecutiveAirport, he serves as the Artistic and Executive Director of the North Texas SymphonyOrchestra (NTXSO).As the Artistic Director of the NTXSO, Porter has successfully led performances of majororchestral masterworks such as Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, and Mahler’s Symphonies No. 1 and No. 2. In response toPorter’s leadership of Shostakovich Symphony No. 7, a music reviewer wrote, “Mr. Porter iscertainly one of the top young conductors to watch at this moment. We will be at as many futureperformances as possible to document the work.” His 2026 performance of Mahler’s SymphonyNo. 2 achieved regional recognition, as it was covered by the Friends of WRR as well as otheroutlets.As the NTXSO Executive Director, Porter manages the everyday business practices of thenonprofit. He is the primary grant writer, and he works tirelessly to further its connections withthe local community at large.From 2021-2024, while earning a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science at LeTourneauUniversity, in Longview, Texas, Porter served as the first music director of the LeTourneauUniversity Community Orchestra – an ensemble composed of students, professors, and EastTexas community members. Under his leadership and with the help of many other people, theLeTourneau Community Orchestra grew from a modest string trio to a full-blown symphonicensemble with over 100 members and its own internal 40-person chorus. It became the largestperforming ensemble in the university’s history. Additionally, Porter has served on theconducting staff at the East Texas Youth Orchestra for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.His teachers include conductors at the university and professional performance level from around the country, and he has worked with soloists including Dr. Kaden Larson of Indiana University on Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, Juliette Herlin of Texas Christian University on Dvořák's Cello Concerto in B Minor, Anna Larson of the University of Texas at Tyler, and Dr. Alex McDonald of the Juilliard School on also on Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 and the world premiere of Kyle Cornelison's Piano Concerto in G Minor (2025).Porter is an passionate advocate of arts education, and seeks to connect NTXSO with local arts organizations and youth education programs, frequently programming library concerts and a side-by-side with the Greater Rockwall Youth Symphony. In addition to his work with NTXSO, Porter has guest conducted various orchestras and organizations all over Texas, such as the MansfieldPhilharmonic Upcoming projects include Porter in collaboration with soloist Eldred Marshall to performand record all five Beethoven piano concertos with soloist Eldred Marshall- all in one live performance.When asked about the NTXSO, Porter says: “I am most excited about the opportunities we haveto connect the music world and musicians therein to the community of people around us, notjust in the DFW area, but around the world through our influence, for the sole goal of creatingsafe spaces, camaraderie, and uplifting each other through all we offer. This can happen inmany ways – through engagement, education, programming, collaboration, and all-inclusiverepertoire. But most importantly, it must be accomplished by a unified people that we work withand for, first, before anything else.”
