Our Conductor and Music Director
We are pleased and excited to have Douglas McRay Daniels as the Fall River Symphony Orchestra’s conductor and music director in Fall River, MA!

Douglas McRay Daniels
Ray is the music director for the Fall River Symphony Orchestra, cover conductor for the Boston Pops, assistant professor at the Berklee College of Music, lecturer and music director of the wind ensembles at Tufts University and Philips Academy Andover.
Past Conductor Appointments
In 2017, Ray was honored by the Rhode Island Music Educators Association and was invited to conduct the RIMEA Junior All-State Orchestra. He is also a sought-after festival adjudicator. His Boston area guest conducting appointments have included the Melrose Symphony Orchestra, Boston Invitational Trombone Ensemble, Boston New Music Initiative and Quincy Symphony Orchestra. In 2014 he was invited to work with the Berlin Sinfonietta in Berlin Germany and the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra in Zlin and Kromeriz, Czech Republic. His past posts have included music director if the Bentley University Chamber Orchestra, associate conductor of the Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra, assistant conductor appointments with the Heartland Philharmonic Orchestra in Omaha, NE and the Marlborough Symphony Orchestra (now known as Metrowest Symphony) in Marlborough, MA. Ray was also the Sinfonia conductor at Philips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH and the conductor of the Honors Orchestra at Nashoba Youth Orchestras in Westford, MA. Ray was also the Sinfonia conductor at Philips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH, and the conductor of the Honors Orchestra at Nashoba Youth Orchestras in Westford, MA.
Achievement as a Composer
Also a composer, Daniels’ Rev. E.L. Knight for solo Tuba was premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Tubist, Michael Roylance, during the 2007 & 2013 Tanglewood season.
Personal Life
Guided by a belief that music is “common ground” that bridges differences of humanity, Ray is particularly interested in engaging young and new audiences. Raised on a farm with eleven siblings in southern Alabama, Ray echoes his humble beginnings by sharing his passion for music making in an approachable and yet distinguished manner. He makes his home in Andover, MA with his daughters, Zoë (9) and Zaila (7).