CWO Concert Tickets

Samantha Burgess is the Community Women’s Orchestra’s Music Director for our 41st Season (2025-2026). The San Francisco-based conductor is also the Assistant Conductor for both the Berkeley Symphony and the Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra. Previously, she held the position of Assistant Conductor with the Westerville Symphony (OH), the Galesburg Community Chorus (IL), and the Oxford University Philharmonia (UK).

Samantha holds master’s degrees in Orchestral Conducting and Music Theory from The Ohio State University, where she was Music Director of the Ohio State Community Orchestra and Assistant Conductor for the Ohio State Symphony Orchestra. While at OSU, she was also a graduate teaching assistant in Music Theory and a member of the Cognitive and Systematic Musicology Laboratory. On the podium, Samantha combines conducting with her background in music cognition research to develop innovative, multimedia performances. She has presented her research at the Society for Music Theory Midwest Conference, Future Directions of Music Cognition, and the Oxford Conducting Institute International Conducting Studies Conference.

Samantha has conducted in masterclasses and competitions in the USA and abroad—notably in September 2023, when she finished as a semi-finalist in the International Academy and Competition for Orchestral Conducting in Portugal. She has also participated in the George Hurst Conductor’s Course at the Sherborne Summer School of Music, the London Conducting Workshop, the New York Conducting Workshop, and the International Conducting Workshop and Competition in Atlanta, GA.

Your contribution helps us ensure our space uplifting women in classical music will be around for many years.

$40 purchases music for 5 orchestra members, $100 funds a new member’s first season. We are volunteer led and all proceeds directly benefit the orchestra.

Scan the QR code below to make your commitment today. Donations of any amount are welcome!