Education
In 2014 he completed his 20th season as music director of the Madison Symphony Orchestra in Wisconsin.
In 2014 he completed his 20th season as music director of the Madison Symphony Orchestra in Wisconsin.
He is also artistic director of the Madison Opera. He served as music director and principal conductor for Houston Grand Opera for eighteen years, and later as artistic and music director for the now-defunct Opera Pacific. DeMain has also been a guest conductor for Los Angeles Opera.
From 1983-1992, he was music director of Opera Omaha.
The conductor is respected for his work on new operas: he led the world premières of Leonard Bernstein"s A Quiet Place (1983), John Adams"s Nixon in China (1987), and Michael Tippett"s New Year (1989). DeMain also conducted the United States première of Philip Glass"s Akhnaten.