Ben Bolter joined the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music faculty in 2014 as Co-Director of the Contemporary Music Ensemble and Associate Director of the Institute for New Music. He devotes his career to both traditional and new music while constantly exploring new ways to conduct and perform. Ben made his conducting debut in 2008 with the National Symphony Orchestra to critical acclaim in the Washington Post: “Bolter spotlighted the showiest aspects of Enensco’s Romanian Rhapsody #1 and made it look easy.” He has worked as an assistant conductor with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and is a regular guest at the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Additionally, Ben has conducted orchestras at renowned music institutions such as Indiana University (IU), DePaul University, Roosevelt University, the Aspen Music Festival and contemporary music ensembles including Fulcrum Point New Music Project, International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), IU New Music Ensemble, world-renowned flute soloist and new music activist, Claire Chase and The Holographic New Music Project, an ensemble and series he co-founded with award-winning composer Jeremy Podgursky. For four years, he served on faculty at IU as a staff conductor and taught courses in graduate conducting. At age 22, Ben was awarded a Fellowship from the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen. Ben has also been widely recognized for his dedication to advancing youth orchestras. He has worked with the Oakland Youth Orchestras, Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras and is currently Music Director of the Conservatory Orchestras at Merit School of Music where his chamber orchestra is annually featured on 98.7 WFMT and has performed in Chicago Symphony Center on multiple occasions. He is the former Artistic Director of the El Sistema inspired Youth Orchestras at The People’s Music School and has been showcased on Channel 7 ABC Chicago and performed at a 2013 TedTalk at Harris Theatre in Millennium Park. Since 2012, Ben has served as conductor of the New England Conservatory Festival Youth Orchestra, a three-week summer intensive. Ben completed his Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Indiana University in 2008 and holds a Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance from the New England Conservatory. In addition to his work as a conductor, Ben is also an active keyboardist and songwriter.