Born in London into a distinguished family of Italian and English musicians, Damian Iorio is a dynamic and gifted conductor, and enjoys an international career. Having begun his professional life as a violinist, following studies at the Royal Northern College of Music and Indiana University, Damian went on to study conducting at St Petersburg State Conservatoire whilst serving as a member of the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Damian is a passionate advocate for music education and the right for anyone to access music. He has been involved in education projects with Milton Keynes City Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and further international orchestras, as well as being appointed Music Director of the National Youth String Orchestra in 2011. He has been Music Director of the Milton Keynes City Orchestra since 2014, helping the orchestra build a strong reputation as an integral part of cultural life in the city and surrounding region. 

Damian’s opera work has seen him conduct Verdi’s Macbeth at Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Smetana’s The Bartered Bride at Opéra National de Paris, where he returned in summer 2018 for Boris Godunov. He has conducted at Bonn Opera for a production of Puccini’s Turandot.

In 2019, Damian will make his conducting debut with Welsh National Opera with a UK-wide tour of Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’.