Dr. David Doke
Music Director & Conductor, GYSO Symphony
David R. Doke is an accomplished music educator, conductor, and violinist with over three decades of experience building successful orchestra programs and mentoring generations of young musicians. Recognized for his commitment to artistic excellence, innovative teaching practices, and student achievement, he has created extraordinary musical experiences that inspire and shape the lives of young musicians. After a 30-year career in the Cobb County School District, he retired from public school teaching in 2024 and continues to share his expertise as a conductor, clinician, and mentor. He currently serves as Music Director and Conductor of the Georgia Youth Symphony and as a National Clinician for Alfred Music.
Dr. Doke holds the distinction of founding two orchestra programs in the Cobb County School District. He established the North Cobb High School Orchestra Program in 1994 and the Hillgrove High School Orchestra Program when the school opened in 2006, developing both into prominent and highly regarded programs.
Under his leadership, these ensembles were selected to perform at the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference on three occasions and earned invitations to perform at prestigious national venues, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Symphony Hall in Boston, Orchestra Hall in Chicago, and Carnegie Hall in New York, where his orchestras appeared four times. He also led international concert tours to China, France, and Iceland, with performances in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou; concerts in Normandy commemorating the 75th Anniversary of D-Day; and a sold-out appearance at Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík.
Dr. Doke remains active as a conductor, clinician, and educator. He has been invited to conduct honor orchestras throughout Georgia and in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington, and has served as conductor for multiple summers of the University of Georgia Summer Music Institute. As a clinician for Alfred Music, he regularly presents clinics to music educators and students across the country.
Prior to his career in education, Dr. Doke had a distinguished career as a professional violinist, performing with several orchestras around the world. His performing career includes positions with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, la Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México in Toluca, Mexico, and the Mexico Philharmonic in Mexico City. He has performed in renowned international venues including Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, Smetana Hall in Prague, the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, the Berlin Philharmonie, and the International Mahler Festival in Dobbiaco, Italy. These international performance experiences continue to inform his work as a conductor and educator.
Dr. Doke received the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Honor Teacher Award in 2003 and was recognized as STAR Teacher at Hillgrove High School in both 2012 and 2024. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education from Boston University, a Master of Music in Violin Performance from DePaul University in Chicago, and a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri–Kansas City.
