Ashley Walker

Grammy Award-nominated conductor Ash Walker began his musical career with the Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale. He traveled with the ensemble in the U.S., to Switzerland, Australia, South Africa, Cuba and other countries.

While completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in music at Millersville University in Pennsylvania, Walker co-founded and directed the Men's Choir, served as drum major of the Marauder Marching Band, president of the American Choral Directors Association: Lancaster chapter, and director of curriculum and choirs for the Pennsylvania Academy of Music.

In 2009, Walker founded the “Music for Everyone,” Lancaster Community Chorus. He served as artistic director of that non-auditioned community choir, whose mission was cultivating the power of community and music in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania. During that time, Walker also served as director of music at Linden Hall School for Girls in Lititz, Pennsylvania, and performed regularly with the Mendelssohn Club Choir of Philadelphia as a core singer and soloist.

More recently, Walker completed his master’s degree in choral conducting at California State University East Bay, where he won the Trustees Scholarship, sang with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and on two occasions presented research at National American Choral Directors Association Conferences with his mentor and CSU professor Dr. Buddy James. He also founded the People’s Choir of Fremont and served as artistic director of Pacific Edge Voices.

Walker currently lives in Oakland, California. In addition to his appointment as University of the Pacific’s faculty member for the Conservatory of Music, he serves as chorus conductor for the Oakland Symphony Orchestra.