Mary Box is a conductor who has been on music staff for over 40 opera productions across the United States, including residencies at The Dallas Opera and Minnesota Opera. Recently, she conducted a world premiere opera by Mark Buller for Houston Grand Opera’s Community & Learning, conducted rehearsals for eight operas and a performance of Suor Angelica at the University of Houston, and conducted the world premiere of the orchestration of Dave Ragland’s “Creation” featuring baritone Reginald Smith, Jr. and the Juneteenth Chamber Orchestra. Since 2021, she has conducted orchestras in seven different countries through conducting workshops.

An advocate for underrepresented works, Mary received a Support for Artists and Creative Individuals (SACI) grant from the city of Houston via the Houston Arts Alliance as well as a Music Performers’ Trust Fund grant from the Houston Professional Musicians’ Association and the American Federation of Musicians to conduct and produce a concert for Juneteenth. The concert, co-curated by baritone Reginald Smith, Jr., included all Black composers and a 24-piece orchestra featuring musicians from the Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, and the Houston Ballet.

Mary is the founder and executive director of the Montrose Project, a 501©3 organization which celebrates works by women composers through research, recordings, and performances in Houston. In May, Mary received a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Rice University’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.

Mary holds a master’s degree in vocal coaching from Rice University, a master’s degree in piano performance from the University of Houston, and a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from the Eastman School of Music.