Education

Brian Morales has enriched his musical expertise through a range of prestigious workshops and summer programs, each contributing to his growth as a composer, conductor, and artist. In film scoring, he was selected as a Fellow for the 2025 Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive (LAFCI) and previously audited the renowned Joy Music House workshop in New York in 2024, gaining insight into the industry's intricacies.

As a composer of concert music, he has earned fellowships at esteemed international programs, including the Alba Music Festival in Italy's Piedmont region and the Talis Music Festival in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina. Additionally, he has participated in the Cascade Conducting Workshop (as a composer) in Tacoma, Washington, the Atlantic Music Festival in Waterville, Maine, and the California Music Academy in Fullerton, California.

In his conducting journey, Brian has twice been a participant in the New York Conductor’s Workshop and has led ensembles at the Novus et Antiquus Orchestra conducting workshop. He has also conducted the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia on numerous occasions. His private studies with Roger Nierenberg (former Music Director of the Jacksonville Symphony and Pro Arte Chorale) and Mark Shapiro (former Artistic Director of the Prince Edward Island Symphony) have further refined his conducting abilities. During his undergraduate years, he assisted Maestro Kimo Furumoto with the CSUF Symphony Orchestra and studied basic conducting techniques under Dr. Mitchell Fennell. Brian’s leadership skills were evident early on as drum major for his high school marching band and the Santa Ana Winds, the Orange County parade band.

In the realm of theater and dramatic arts, Brian participated in the New Musicals, Inc. workshop in Los Angeles, CA, and in earlier years, he performed as an actor with the Musical Theater University (MTU) Summerstock, bringing a versatile range of artistic experiences to his work.

Throughout my musical journey, I have had the privilege of learning from a number of esteemed teachers and mentors who have shared their invaluable insights with me. These include Miguel del Aguila, Dirk Brossé, Stephen Cabell, David Conte, Elise Dewsberry, Salvatore Di Vittorio, Reiko Fueting, Walter Hilse, Han Lash, David Serkin Ludwig, Elliott Miles McKinley, David Noon, Jim Rotter, Toshiyuki Shimada, Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, George Tsontakis, Nils Vigeland, and Wang Jie.