Episode 31: Bringing the Orchestra to the Community

<p>Listen to John&#39;s story in this episode as he has worked alongside his job as a pilot and flight instructor to build the North Texas Symphony Orchestra, and is finding ways to bring the orchestra to the community. </p><p>Google Form: <a href="https://forms.gle/iDisU5rHf6JRHsMs7" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://forms.gle/iDisU5rHf6JRHsMs7</a></p><p><u><strong>John&#39;s Bio:</strong></u>John Porter, native of the North Texas area, is a commercial pilot, flight instructor, orchestral<br>conductor, double bassist, and aircraft engineer. In addition to teaching flight courses and<br>ground classes to student, private, instrument, and commercial pilots at Addison Executive<br>Airport, he serves as the Artistic and Executive Director of the North Texas Symphony<br>Orchestra (NTXSO).<br>As the Artistic Director of the NTXSO, Porter has successfully led performances of major<br>orchestral masterworks such as Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.<br>4, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, and Mahler’s Symphonies No. 1 and No. 2. In response to<br>Porter’s leadership of Shostakovich Symphony No. 7, a music reviewer wrote, “Mr. Porter is<br>certainly one of the top young conductors to watch at this moment. We will be at as many future<br>performances as possible to document the work.” His 2026 performance of Mahler’s Symphony<br>No. 2 achieved regional recognition, as it was covered by the Friends of WRR as well as other<br>outlets.<br>As the NTXSO Executive Director, Porter manages the everyday business practices of the<br>nonprofit. He is the primary grant writer, and he works tirelessly to further its connections with<br>the local community at large.<br>From 2021-2024, while earning a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science at LeTourneau<br>University, in Longview, Texas, Porter served as the first music director of the LeTourneau<br>University Community Orchestra – an ensemble composed of students, professors, and East<br>Texas community members. Under his leadership and with the help of many other people, the<br>LeTourneau Community Orchestra grew from a modest string trio to a full-blown symphonic<br>ensemble with over 100 members and its own internal 40-person chorus. It became the largest<br>performing ensemble in the university’s history. Additionally, Porter has served on the<br>conducting staff at the East Texas Youth Orchestra for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.<br>His teachers include conductors at the university and prof