Conductor Donald Nally lives in Philadelphia where he concentrates on The Crossing’s commissioning projects, collaborations, future programming, and current concerts. Donald is also music director of Cincinnati's Vocal Arts Ensemble, the region’s only professional choir, and chorus master for The Chicago Bach Project – annual performances of Bach’s masterworks presented by Soli Deo Gloria. In 2011-2012 coming season he will guest conduct the Latvian State Choir for the opening concert of the International Festival of Sacred Music in Riga and will be Visiting Professor in Choral Music at the University of Illinois.

Donald just completed a distinguished tenure as chorus master at Lyric Opera of Chicago where he collaborated with the world’s major opera singers, conductors, and directors. He has served many summers as Chorus Master of Il festival dei due mondi in Spoleto, Italy and was, for a number of years, Chorus Master of Welsh National Opera, where he conducted the WNO chorus and orchestra in major cities throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While in the UK, Donald often guest-conducted London’s Philharmonia Chorus and collaborated with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonia Cymru. Prior to his work in Wales, Donald lived in Philadelphia where he was chorus master at the Opera Company of Philadelphia, director of music at Saint Mark’s Church, and artistic director of the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, which was awarded the 2002 Chorus America Margaret Hillis National Award for Excellence in Choral Music. His book Conversations with Joseph Flummerfelt: thoughts on conducting, music and musicians was published in 2010 by Scarecrow Press. He holds the distinction that in the last two years he has conducted concerts named to the Top Classical Events of the Year by the major newspapers of three major American cities: Chicago, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati.

Donald holds degrees from Westminster Choir College, the College-Conservatory at the University of Cincinnati, and a doctorate from the University of Illinois.