Orchestra Faculty
Dr. Allan Dennis (known by the students as "Dr. D") is a nationally-recognized conductor, educator, and visionary arts advocate. He is the Founder and President of Midwest Young Artists Conservatory (MYAC) in Highwood, Illinois, where he also conducts its top two orchestras. Since its founding in 1993 with just fifty students, MYAC has grown into the Midwest’s largest and most comprehensive youth music ensemble program, offering outstanding training in orchestral, jazz, choral, and chamber music. Dr. D also serves as the Conductor and Music Director of the Highland Park Strings, continuing his lifelong passion for conducting, coaching, and teaching musicians of all ages.
Dr. D has received numerous honors recognizing his leadership and impact, including Music Director of the Year and the Cultural Leadership Award from the Illinois Council of Orchestras, the Heidi Castleman Award from Chamber Music America, and the Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois American String Teachers Association. Additionally, he conducted the Honors All-State Orchestra at the 2026 Illinois Music Education Conference (IMEC). He earned his doctorate with distinction from Indiana University, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the State University of New York at Fredonia, with further studies at the Eastman School of Music, the Royal Flemish Conservatory in Belgium, and Harvard Business School. He also trained at the Tanglewood Institute and studied conducting with Gunther Schuller, Harold Farbermann, and David Effron.
Over decades of artistic achievement and educational leadership, Dr. D has guided students who now perform in the premier orchestras across the U.S. and abroad. Yet his greatest legacy lies in the mentorship he continues to offer in instilling values of dedication, discipline, and responsibility, and in shaping not only exceptional musicians, but leaders of character and compassion prepared to make a lasting impact on the world.
Patrick A. Pearson (B.A., Bowling Green State University, 1989; M.A., VanderCook College of Music, 2003) began his tenure at Midwest Young Artists Conservatory in 1995 where he currently conducts the Cadet, Concertino and Philharmonia Orchestras. He also teaches composition. Mr. Pearson is also the orchestra director at Oak Park and River Forest High School, where he conducts 3 orchestras, 1 band, and teaches AP Music Theory. Before teaching at OPRFHS, he taught nine years at Lake Forest High School in Lake Forest, Illinois, two years at East Lake High School in Tarpon Springs, Florida, and three years at Countryside High School in Clearwater, Florida. During his tenure at East Lake, Mr. Pearson was named Teacher of the Year for 1992-1993. In his years of teaching, Mr. Pearson has toured with his orchestras on several international tours to destinations including Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, and Mexico. He has also participated in the MYAC tours to China, South Korea, Hungary, Austria and Czech Republic.
Mr. Pearson is active as a guest conductor of many string and orchestra festivals and is a member of the Illinois Music Educators’ Association (MENC), the American String Teachers’ Association, Phi Mu Alpha, and Kappa Kappa Psi Fraternity. Mr. Pearson also serves as the Assistant Director of Music at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waukegan, Illinois. Mr. Pearson lives in Vernon Hills, Illinois, with his wife, Andrya, and their two daughters, Taylor and Alexandrya.