Evan Roider Appointed to Three-Year Agreement Effective September 2026
Roider Makes Guest Appearance with Pink Martini January 17 & 18, 2026, at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall
The Tucson Symphony is delighted to announce its first-ever Principal Pops Conductor, Evan Roider. The three-year appointment takes effect September 2026. Roider’s upcoming Tucson appearance with Pink Martini will be the fifth time he has worked with the TSO since his debut in January 2023, when he also conducted the popular Portland-based group.
The Tucson appointment is Evan Roider’s first titled position of an American orchestra. He made his name as Music Director/Conductor for four years of the North American tour of Wicked. Other Broadway credits include The Great Gatsby and Old Friends, and he has also toured with Les Misérables and Cats. Since stepping down from Wicked in fall 2024, Roider has appeared with many major orchestras nationwide including the National Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Houston Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Oregon Symphony, Pacific Symphony, San Diego Symphony and Utah Symphony. He has led concerts featuring film and television music, Broadway favorites and iconic hits spanning the decades. A native of Baton Rouge, Roider is also a talented pianist. He graduated from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, and also The Hartt School in Connecticut. He currently serves as Associate Music Supervisor for the Tony Award-winning historic outdoor theatre, The Muny, in St. Louis.
Speaking of the appointment Roider said,
It is an extraordinary honor to be named the Tucson Symphony’s first-ever Principal Pops Conductor. From my very first performance with the TSO, I felt a genuine connection with the orchestra and audience. Tucson is a special place rich in art, culture and history. I look forward to building on the incredible reputation of the organization as we move into its next chapter.
TSO Music Director, José Luis Gomez, commented,
Evan’s talent and creativity were palpable from his first collaboration with the orchestra and I look forward to having him join the TSO artistic family and the Tucson communities in this new role as Principal Pops Conductor.
TSO President & CEO, Paul Meecham, added,
The first-ever Principal Pops Conductor is an important step for the TSO as we expand our offerings to as broad an audience as possible. Evan has a natural charisma and we can’t wait for the announcement of Evan’s first season in just a few weeks.