Conlon has consistently advocated for relatively obscure Austrian composers, particularly those who suffered under the Nazi regime.

Austria's Cross of Honor for Science and Art, a component of Austria's national honors system, has been granted since 1955 to individuals who have excelled and received widespread recognition for their exceptional contributions in the fields of science or the arts.

The American conductor James Conlon received this prestigious honor in an official ceremony held at the residence of the Austrian Consul General on October 6. The event was attended by notable figures such as the Austrian Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Petra Schneebauer, and the Austrian Consul General of Los Angeles, Dr. Michael Postl.

Conlon has been bestowed with similar distinctions from various European countries, including the highly esteemed Légion d'Honneur in France in 2002 and the title of Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2004. In 2018, the President of Italy also recognized Conlon with the Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana.

Throughout his illustrious 50-year career, Conlon has been unwavering in his commitment to promoting the works of relatively unknown or underperformed composers, with a particular focus on Austrian composers such as Arnold Schönberg, Alexander von Zemlinsky, Franz Schreker, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Ernest Krenek, and the recently deceased 103-year-old Walter Arlen.

Conlon has conducted orchestras of immense renown in Europe, the United States, and Canada, as well as gracing many of the world's most prestigious opera houses, including the Wiener Staatsoper and the Salzburg Festival.