Marco Romano originally trained as a clarinettist at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama before turning to conducting full-time. He subsequently went on to study with George Hurst and to work closely with and understudy Walter Weller, Neeme Jarvi and Sir Alexander Gibson. He was Musical Director of the Glasgow Sinfonia, the Renfrewshire Schools Symphony Orchestra and the Dumfries Choral Society. He is currently Principal Conductor of the Glasgow Orchestral Society.
Marco made his professional debut in 1984 with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. In 1996, he was appointed Artistic & Musical Director of the Sunderland Empire Theatre Promenade Concert Series. Since then he has gone on to conduct many orchestras and ensembles throughout the UK, including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Halle, Northern Sinfonia, Birmingham Philharmonic and Liverpool Mozart Orchestras and the orchestras of Scottish Opera and Opera North. He has worked with many distinguished soloists including Julian Lloyd Webber, Tasmin Little, Sarah Walker, Dennis O'Neill, John Wallace and Lesley Garrett.
In 2003, he founded Naked Opera and became its Musical Director, and in 2008 he was invited to become Musical Director of Music in the Minster, an organisation which presents operatic and music theatre projects. In 2010, he became Artistic & Musical Director of Harmony Music In Scotland, a new organisation that presents orchestral training courses for advanced musicians.
Marco's conducting technique is flawless. He has the ability to rehearse even the most complex scores quickly, efficiently and with an authority that instils great confidence in his players. He has a vast knowledge of the orchestral repertoire and his interpretational sense is exceptional. His ability to inspire musicians to give of their best is truly thrilling. Wherever he works, his gift for communicating with players and audiences alike create performances that are exciting, spontaneous and memorable.
Marco has a very large and varied repertoire and is happy to conduct just about anything from Mozart to John Williams, although he prefers to specialise in mainly 19th & 20th century repertoire and has a special love of British music.
