CoPA Music Faculty Member Signs with International Artist Management Agency Dr. Danko Druško, Director of Orchestral Studies and conductor of The Chapman Orchestra, has been selected to join the roster of a boutique global agency representing classical music artists.

Chapman University’s College of Performing Arts (CoPA) is proud to share that Dr. Danko Druško, conductor of The Chapman Orchestra and faculty member in CoPA, has signed with Pura Musica, a boutique international classical music artist management agency representing a selective roster of conductors and performers working across the U.S. and abroad.

Artist management agencies play a key role in advancing conductors by connecting them with orchestras, festivals, and institutions worldwide. The new partnership marks a significant step in Druško’s career, reflecting both his artistic excellence and a growing global demand within classical music.

“Joining the roster of Pura Musica as a conductor is both an honor and a meaningful milestone in my career, affirming the values and artistic direction that have guided my work so far. I’m deeply grateful for their trust and excited to shape the next chapter of my journey together on an international stage,” Druško says.

This is a defining strength of CoPA—faculty who are active, represented, and working artists. Druško’s international professional representation ensures that students learn from a conductor whose work is being shaped by current industry practices and professional networks beyond campus.

Pura Musica’s boutique, individualized approach to management further highlights the selectivity of their partnership with Druško. Unlike large, generalized agencies, boutique firms work closely with a limited roster of artists, offering tailored career guidance and strategic development. This model aligns closely with Chapman’s own educational philosophy, which emphasizes mentorship, individual growth, and long-term career sustainability.

To prospective students and families, faculty achievements like this are an indicator of the professional environment that students are immersed in at Chapman. Learning from faculty whose careers are actively advancing on the international stage means students gain access to real-world insights into the music profession, exposure to global perspectives, and mentorship informed by firsthand experience navigating today’s artistic landscape.

Druško’s representation with Pura Musica reinforces CoPA’s commitment to preparing students for meaningful, lasting careers in the performing arts—guided by faculty who continue to shape, and be shaped by, the profession itself.

About Dr. Danko Druško

Raised in Germany, rooted in Croatia, and now based in California, Danko Druško is the conductor and Director of Orchestral Studies at Chapman University. He works across symphonic, operatic, and crossover repertoire, from core masterworks and contemporary music to film scores and interdisciplinary projects.

Druško is a frequent collaborator with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and has conducted orchestras across Europe and North America. His work has placed him alongside artists and conductors such as Gustavo Dudamel, Simone Young, Philippe Jordan, Thomas Wilkins, Joshua Bell, Alison Balsom, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Beck, Earth, Wind & Fire, and many more.

Internationally recognized early in his career, he reached the final stages of some of the world’s most competitive conducting competitions, including Solti, Donatella Flick, Polycarpe, Kálmán, and Jovens Maestros. Praised as a “miracle worker,” Druško is equally committed to community engagement and to music as a force that connects cultures and audiences.