Michael Roest is a dynamic conductor and arts leader known for his dedication to community building through art. He founded the International Pride Orchestra and currently works as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Roest also directs the SFCM Pre-College Contemporary Music Ensemble, nurturing young talent in the field of contemporary music. Before moving to San Francisco, he served as teacher of brass studies, directing the Oberlin Brass Ensemble. Roest also led the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestras, where he was both the executive and artistic director of the Philharmonia Orchestra. He holds degrees from The Juilliard School of Music and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and has trained at several prestigious music institutes including the National Repertory Orchestra, National Orchestral Institute, Lucerne Festival Academy, and the International Conducting Institute.