bio
Often noted for their warmth and authenticity, Damali is a firm believer in the power of music as a harbinger of connection and change. Born and raised just outside of Atlanta, GA, Damali Willingham is a conductor, composer, bassoonist, and educator based in New Haven, Connecticut. They received their Bachelor of Music in Composition and Conducting summa cum laude from the Berklee College of Music. Damali currently serves as Assistant Conductor of the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra in Lexington, Kentucky and as a Conducting Fellow with the Queer Urban Orchestra in New York City. Their 2025-26 season features cover conducting engagements with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, participation in a conducting workshop with Valentina Peleggi and the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, and multiple performances of their arrangements of Gena Branscombe’s Festival Prelude and March. Damali was recently named a participant in the 2026 Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship Mentorship Program.
Damali’s promise as a conductor was apparent from a young age; they began conducting their high school’s pit orchestra at age 14, and at 17 became the youngest nominee for the “Best Orchestra” award at the Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards. During their studies at the Berklee College of Music, they served as musical director and guest conductor of various ensembles including the Berklee Musical Theater Orchestra, Symphonic Winds, Film Scoring Session Orchestra, and the Berklee Motion Picture Orchestra, the school’s largest student-run ensemble. Damali has participated in multiple conducting fellowship programs including the Girls Who Conduct and Georgia Symphony Orchestra Conducting Fellowship, Chelsea Symphony Orchestra Conducting Fellowship and the Aspen Conducting Academy where they were awarded the Robert J. Harth Prize. In 2023, they appeared as a guest conductor with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra for their Seen/Unseen concert program, featuring the compositions of Black American Women with soloists Louise Toppin and Terri Lynne Carrington. Damali’s mentors in conducting include Dr. Mélisse Brunet, Dr. Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin, Tamara Dworetz, Robert Spano, Eric Stern, Mark Stringer, Francisco Noya, and Federico Coretse.
As a composer and arranger, Damali’s interest is exploring the genres of soul, funk, jazz, and gospel in the world of contemporary classical music. They have received commissions for ensemble works from the Emory Youth Symphony, the Berklee Motion Picture Orchestra, and the Gena Branscombe Project, and a solo work from bassoonist Dr. Amy Pollard. Damali has studied composition with Dr. Marti Epstein and Dr. Richard Prior.
In addition to conducting and composing, Damali shares their creative passion through teaching and working with youth. They have worked as a private tutor in Western and Jazz music theory, bassoon, counterpoint, conducting, and composition for seven years, held an interactive conducting position with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra allowing audiences to conduct along during their live performances, and completed a fellowship with the Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras where they taught music theory and bassoon in addition to their conducting responsibilities.
Damali’s experience as a Black Queer person is central to their creative practice; their work centers the vulnerability, celebration, and liberation of their communities through artistic expression, community engagement, musical innovation, and universal accessibility. Outside of music, Damali enjoys roller skating, jigsaw puzzles, spending time in nature, and cooking for their loved ones.