Mr. Douglas was selected as the first conductor of Dusseldorf Lyric Opera because of his extensive experience in the world of opera and his incredible musicality as a pianist and conductor. He is great with singers and musicians, and is active in developing our opera company through regular consultations about programming, fund-raising and recruitment of singers and musicians. He was chosen after he appeared in concert at the piano with the singers of DLO in May 2016 for our inaugural benefit. Brent conducted The Magic Flute, one of our first full-length operas with orchestra in November 2017. This year, he celebrates his second season as Artistic Director and Conductor of The Venice Chorale, an award-winning 90-voice ensemble renowned for its dynamic performances. This year, he will conduct Beethoven’s iconic 5th Symphony with the Vidin Symphony Orchestra in Bulgaria and return to Sicily to collaborate with the Mediterranean Opera Studio and Festival. As Chorus Master for Gulfshore Opera, Brent is preparing singers for productions of Rusalka and Lucia di Lammermoor. He will also appear as a keyboardist for prominent Florida ensembles, including The Florida Orchestra, Sarasota Orchestra, The Naples Philharmonic, and St. Pete Baroque.

Honored as "Classical Musician of the Year" by Creative Loafing Magazine Tampa Bay in 2016, Brent's career spans symphonic, operatic, and choral music. His leadership has brought him to stages across the U.S. and internationally, with collaborations including the London Classical Players, Berlin Sinfonietta, and the National Women's Chorus of Cuba.  Previously, Brent served as Director of Orchestra and Chorus at Eckerd College for nine years and Assistant Conductor of the Tampa Bay Symphony for two seasons. He has conducted at renowned festivals such as the Vienna Summer Music Festival and the Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina. A career highlight was his groundbreaking “blacklight” production of The Magic Flute with the Düsseldorf Lyric Opera in Germany.

Beyond conducting, Brent is an accomplished vocal coach and opera pianist, he has partnered with St. Petersburg Opera, Opera Tampa, and the Savannah Voice Festival.  His unique improv-opera "The Carnival of the Animals" was premiered at the Vienna Summer Music Festival in 2019 and he founded an annual opera recital series in Sicily where he spends his summers.

Brent’s dedication to arts education and leadership is evident through his tenure at Eckerd College, where he founded a new choral music commissioning initiative and led international concert tours. He has adjudicated competitions such as the St. Petersburg Opera Guild and Florida Vocal Association and, as Managing Director of the Palladium Theater, secured key grants for educational initiatives and established the Encore Chamber Music Series.

A graduate of Missouri State University and the University of South Florida, Brent holds degrees in Piano Performance and Conducting. He has studied with esteemed mentors, Gerard Schwarz (Frost School of Music), Dr. James Bass (UCLA), Kenneth Kiesler (U. of Michigan), and Leonardo Catalanotto (Scarlatti Conservatory, Sicily).