Douglas Droste is Director of Orchestral Studies at Oklahoma State University and founder/conductor of the OSU String Academy Chamber Orchestra. He is an active guest conductor and cover conductor with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and will begin conducting performances with the Oklahoma City Ballet during the 2009-2010 season. Mr. Droste will also guest conduct the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra and Midland-Odessa (TX) Symphony this season. Past appearances include the Amarillo Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra and Tulsa Signature Symphony, in addition to numerous youth orchestras.

Mr. Droste studied conducting with Gary Lewis and violin with John Gilbert and the late Michael Davis. Additional studies include the Pierre Monteux School for Orchestral Conductors with Michael Jinbo, Oregon Bach Festival Conducting Master Class with Helmuth Rilling, as well as conducting seminars sponsored by the League of American Orchestras and Conductors Guild.

On violin, Mr. Droste has performed with the orchestras of Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Nashville, Memphis, Lubbock, and Lancaster (OH) Festival. He is also proficient on viola, trumpet, and has sung in a variety of choral ensembles.

Mr. Droste has served as music director/conductor of the Oklahoma Youth Symphony, Paducah Symphony Youth Orchestra (KY), and has also held faculty positions at Austin Peay State University (TN), and Liberty Union-Thurston School District (OH). He received degrees from The Ohio State University and Texas Tech University.