Conductor
Bio
Danko Druško is a conductor and educator based in California, recognized for his dynamic artistry and commitment to music education. Born in Germany to Croatian immigrant parents, he is a first-generation college graduate and currently serves as the Director of Orchestral Studies at Chapman University. Druško frequently collaborates with the Los Angeles Philharmonic as a guest cover conductor at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and The Ford. As Artistic Director of the California Orchestra Academy, he provides high-level pre-professional training to young musicians, ensuring accessibility regardless of economic background.
Druško has collaborated with an array of artists across genres, including Alison Balsom, Nicola Benedetti, Lisa Batiashvili, Lukáš Vondráček, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Ledisi, Simone Young, Philippe Jordan, Thomas Wilkins, Sarah Hicks, David Newman, Louis Langrée, Café Tacvba, Beck, Harry Connick Jr., and Gustavo Dudamel, among others.
A recipient of numerous prizes in Germany, Druško was honored with the Friedrichshafen City Art Award (Künstlerförderpreis) in 2014, an award presented biennially to promising artists advancing regional culture. He also won the County Culture Foundation of Lake Constance Conducting Prize in 2012 and was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in 2011. Before his conducting career, Druško performed as a professional trumpet player and tenor in symphonies and opera houses across Germany.
In addition to his conducting work, Druško partnered with LA-based artist Frances Stark and legendary producer H.B. Barnum to reimagine Mozart’s The Magic Flute for youth wind soloists and string orchestra. The project, commissioned for the Absolut Art Award, was recorded at an iconic Hollywood studio and premiered at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) before touring major museums such as MoMA and the Smithsonian.
Praised as a "miracle worker" by Peninsula Reviews, Druško is a passionate advocate for community engagement through music. He champions the performance of regional and traditional music to unite audiences of diverse backgrounds. He also founded the Hoosier Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir, assembling over 250 musicians for an inaugural performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2.
Druško holds advanced conducting degrees from the IU Jacobs School of Music and the Eastman School of Music. His most influential mentors include Cliff Colnot, Arthur Fagen, David Effron, Manfred Schreier, and Hanspeter Gmür. He also earned dual Staatsexamen degrees in Music Education and English Literature/Linguistics from the University of Music Trossingen and the University of Konstanz.
Previous academic appointments include the School of Music at Northern Illinois University and the University of Guelph in Canada. He also passed the highly competitive physical aptitude test required to study sport science in Germany. An avid outdoorsman, Druško draws creative inspiration from nature. He resides in Monterey County with his wife, cellist and arts executive Ameena Khawaja, and their two sons.
More
International Conducting Workshop with Maestro Druško
Frances Stark's The Magic Flute (orchestrated by Danko Druško)
Mahler 2 pre-concert lecture with The Cleveland Orchestra
Concert Schedule
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