Dr. Jay Dean, the SMSO’s current conductor, became Director of Orchestral Activities at Southern Miss in 1988. With his appointment, the SMSO has grown significantly over the last two decades, and with each year, it reaches a higher level of artistry. The orchestra is truly an international organization and includes over 80 musicians from the U.S. and 14 other countries. As Director of Orchestral Activities, Dr. Dean selects works for each program with the aim that they be educationally and technically purposeful for the musicians and aesthetically pleasing and interesting for audiences. Programs with a wide variety of artists from myriad backgrounds and nationalities are a main goal of Dr. Dean and the SMSO. Children’s concerts, ballet, opera, and pops concerts round out the repertoire of the SMSO.

Dean received his DMA in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Texas at Austin. Before coming to The University of Southern Mississippi, he was Music Director of Dekalb Youth Symphony Orchestra in Atlanta, the Mercer University/Atlanta Chamber Orchestra, the Columbus State University Orchestra, the Atlanta Festival Orchestra and Chorus, the Austin Civic Orchestra, and the Southwest Chamber Orchestra. He also served as assistant conductor for the Austin Lyric Opera.

He has conducted concerts featuring world-renown soloists such as Plácido Domingo, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Sir James Galway, Joshua Bell, Denyce Graves, Nadja Salerno-Sonenberg, Jean Pierre Rampal, Christopher Parkening, Edgar Meyer, Roberta Peters, Doc Seversinsen, Ray Charles, and Ricky Skaggs. He has also guest conducted many orchestras in the United States, Latin America, and Europe.

Musicians Say:

“The Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra’s performance of the Brahms Symphony No. 4, played with such precision, commitment and energy, followed by a superlative rendition of the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1, was absolutely remarkable. Congratulations to you, the orchestra, and the institution for the achievements of the University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, and of your key work in its formation.”

—Yo-Yo Ma

“The concert with your orchestra was so outstanding the memory of it is still fresh in my mind. Nobody had prepared me to expect something of this standard. This orchestra of young musicians played the program brilliantly. I really could not believe my ears. I think many of the major cities in the USA would be very happy to hear an orchestra play so inspired. The one thing lacking in classical music is the dedication and enthusiasm both of which were so obvious in your young orchestra. You have set a standard in my mind for doing things with care and diligence that is lacking in many classical music performances.”

—Sir James Galway

“It was a great pleasure to play with The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, wonderfully conducted by Jay Dean. We had a marvelous relationship and the musicians played with great inspiration, and the result was beautiful music. Merci & Bravo!”

—Jean Pierre Rampal