Our 54th season also marks Anthony LaGruth's 10th season as Music Director and Conductor of the Shrewsbury Chorale. American conductor Anthony LaGruth has delighted audiences and critics alike with many exciting performances that have been recognized for their innovative presentation of classical music. Roxanne Orgill of the Bergen Record (NJ) wrote, “ Mr. LaGruth conducts with subtlety and a refined sense of style that is refreshing.” and The Ellsworth American (Maine) noted his “…control, musicianship, and involvement with the music.”  A versatile musician, Mr. LaGruth is currently the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Garden State Philharmonic and founder of the acclaimed chamber group, The Polished Brass.

Mr. LaGruth recently made his European debut in Romania leading concerts with several orchestras including the state philharmonics of Satu Mare, Botosani, and Raumnica Valcea. He also made his Lincoln Center debut leading a young artists concerto concert at Alice Tully Hall. His debut with the Lyric Opera of San Antonio, conducting performances of Verdi’s Rigoletto, prompted critic Mike Greenberg to write, “LaGruth brought crisp definition, dramatic sensitivity, and stylishly flexible tempos to the score.”

Mr. LaGruth has worked with some of the greatest composers of our age, including Hans Werner Henze, John Corigliano, and Pulitzer Prize winner Karel Husa, and has collaborated with a wide range of soloists including Philip Smith, Devy Ehrly, Christopher Collins Lee, and Neal Sedaka.

A proponent of American music, Mr. LaGruth is one of the creators of the American Symphony Orchestra League’s new commissioning project; Made in America. This program offers smaller orchestras throughout the country the opportunity to commission works by major American composers through “grass roots” consortiums. This project debuted in 2005 with a work by Joan Tower.

Noted by his colleagues for his rapport with audiences, Mr. LaGruth builds relationships with his listeners through many outreach programs and his very popular pre-concert discussions, Musically Speaking. Whether educating and entertaining students in a Young Peoples concert or chatting informally with audience members, Mr. LaGruth finds innovative ways to bridge the gap between new audiences and classical music.

An honors graduate of Ithaca College, Mr. LaGruth
earned a master’s degree in orchestral conducting and bachelor's degree in composition. He also attended the world-renowned Pierre Monteux School for Conductors, where he was a conducting fellow under the tutelage of Charles Bruck and Michael Jinbo. Mr. LaGruth has enjoyed a close association with the Pierre Monteux School and has served on the staff of that institution. Mr. LaGruth is a member of the Board of Directors of the Conductors Guild, a national service organization for conductors.