Grady Lai recently became the Assistant Orchestra Director at James Bowie Middle School and Assistant Principal Second Violin of the Symphony of Southeast Texas. He also just joined the Houston Civic Symphony and Fort Bend Symphony. As an educator, he enjoys inspiring students via excellent music education that not only meets their individual learning goals and socioemotional needs but also expands their sense of possibility.

Previously, Lai was the Head Orchestra Director at Conroe High School, where he revived the full orchestra in collaboration with the band directors and students, conducted the musical Starmites in collaboration with the theater directors and student and professional instrumentalists, and led the varsity orchestra to win “Sweepstakes” at UIL.

In addition to being an educator, violinist, and conductor, Lai is also an enthusiastic arranger: his arrangement of George Michael’s Last Christmas has been performed by James Bowie Middle School, Conroe High School, and Paetow High School (Katy Independent School District).

Before moving to Texas in 2022, Lai grew up in California. During the 2021-2022 school year, Lai was in the teacher credential program at San Francisco State University and student-taught at Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts with its then orchestra director Tristan Arnold. In December 2019, Lai graduated with a BA in applied mathematics and music from the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied violin with Antoine van Dongen and Carla Moore, studied conducting with David Milnes, played in the University Symphony Orchestra (UCBSO) and the University Baroque Ensemble, and conducted the Chamber Orchestra and Summer Symphony. As a UCBSO member, he participated in masterclasses under conductors Riccardo Muti, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel, and David Robertson.

In high school, Lai studied violin with Zakarias Grafilo and played in the Peninsula Youth Orchestra under conductor Mitchell Sardou Klein. He also played in the San Mateo Union High School District’s annual In Concert Orchestra under conductors Thomas Tatton, Cyrus Ginwala, David Martin, and Zachary Bruno.