Michael Nowak is a Hollywood studio conductor and musician, the Artistic Director of Orchestra Novo and Music Director of the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society.

Michael previously served as Music Director of the San Luis Obispo Symphony from 1984 to 2015. During his tenure he led the Symphony on four successful tours-to Spain in 1996, New York's Carnegie Hall in 2001, the Sydney Opera House in 2006 and Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2008. His many contributions include making music education a priority and helping to build the Symphony's many programs to their current level, reaching over 16,000 children and adults every year. In addition, Nowak has served as Assistant Conductor and violist with the Dallas Symphony, conductor of the Young Musicians Foundation Début Orchestra and the Monterey Chamber Orchestra, and has appeared in guest conducting engagements with the Oregon Mozart Players, the Oregon Bach Festival Chamber Orchestra, the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, the University of Southern California Chamber Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. Nowak is active as a recording musician and conductor in the motion picture industry. Among the many notable films conducted by Michael Nowak are the Academy Award winning movie Life of Pi, King Kong, Under the Tuscan Sun, The Fault In Our Stars, American Gangster, The Kite Runner, and most recently, Fences. He conducts two television shows for ABC; Once Upon A Time and American Crime. He appeared on-screen opposite Jamie Foxx as the conductor of the Juilliard Orchestra in the film, The Soloist.