James Gaffigan (conductor)

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James Gaffigan (born August 11, 1979 [1] ) is an American conductor.

Contents

Biography

Gaffigan was born in New York City. Gaffigan's father, Dennis Gaffigan, was a salesman for Procter & Gamble, and his mother, Cheryl Gaffigan, was a school secretary. [2] [3] He attended public school on Staten Island [4] in addition to attending the LaGuardia High School and the Juilliard School Preparatory Division. [5]

Gaffigan studied music at the New England Conservatory of Music and subsequently at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where his teachers included Larry Rachleff. He earned a Master's degree from the Shepherd School in 2003. [6] He subsequently developed an interest in conducting, and studied at the American Academy of Conducting of the Aspen Music Festival and School, where his teachers included David Zinman and Murry Sidlin. He was a conducting fellow at Tanglewood in 2003. In 2004, he was a first-prize recipient at the Sir Georg Solti International Conductors' Competition in Germany.

Gaffigan was assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra from 2003 to 2006. During this period in Cleveland, he also served as music director of the CityMusic Cleveland chamber orchestra from 2005 to 2010. [7] He then was associate conductor of the San Francisco Symphony from 2006 to 2009, during which time he served as artistic director of the orchestra's 'Summer in the City' festival.

In Europe, Gaffigan first guest-conducted the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra in 2008. He returned for a second guest-conducting appearance in June 2009. In January 2010, the orchestra named him its next chief conductor, effective with the 2011–2012 season. [8] In June 2015, his Lucerne contract was extended through the 2021–2022 season. [9] With the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, Gaffigan has commercially recorded music of Antonín Dvořák and of Wolfgang Rihm for harmonia mundi. [10] [11] In parallel with the announcement of his Lucerne appointment, Gaffigan was named principal guest conductor of the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest (RFO), with a contract for 4 weeks of concerts per season, effective August 2011. In September 2013, he became principal guest conductor of the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, the first principal guest conductor in the orchestra's history. In August 2019, the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra announced the conclusion of Gaffigan's chief conductorship of the orchestra at the close of the 2020–2021 season, [12] following Gaffigan's decision to vacate the Lucerne post one year earlier than the time of his most recent contract announcement.

In September 2020, Gaffigan first guest-conducted the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra. In February 2021, the orchestra named Gaffigan its new principal guest conductor, with immediate effect, with an initial contract of two seasons. [13] In June 2021, the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía announced the appointment of Gaffigan as its next music director, effective September 1, 2021, with an initial contract of 4 years. [14] In January 2022, the Komische Oper Berlin announced the appointment of Gaffigan as its next music director, effective with the 2023–2024 season, with an initial contract of 4 years. [15]

Gaffigan stood down as principal guest conductor of the Radiofilharmonisch Orkest at the close of the 2022–2023 season. [16] In December 2024, the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía announced that Gaffigan is to stand down as its music director at the close of the 2024–2025 season. [17]

Gaffigan first guest-conducted at Houston Grand Opera in 2011. In November 2025, Houston Grand Opera announced the appointment of Gaffigan as its next music director, effective with the 2027-2028 season, with an initial contract of five seasons. Gaffigan is scheduled to take the title of music director-designate for the 2026-2027 season. [18] [19]

Personal life

Gaffigan has been married three times. His first marriage was to the writer Lee Taylor [2] with whom he had two children. [6] With his second wife, the violinist Camilla Kjøll, [20] he had a son. Both marriages ended in divorce. Gaffigan's third wife is Marta Wasilewicz-Gaffigan, and the couple resides in Berlin.

References

  1. ↑ David Noel Edwards (August 12, 2024). "Interview: Conductor James Gaffigan on the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the state of classical music". The Berkshire Edge. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Lee Taylor, James Gaffigan". New York Times. June 15, 2008. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  3. ↑ Tom Strini (April 5, 2012). "This Week At The MSO: Conductor James Gaffigan". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  4. ↑ Wood, Beth (January 22, 2017). "Conductor James Gaffigan on music, San Diego Symphony and the pesky pressure to be funny". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  5. ↑ Tom Keogh (March 10, 2010). "Guest conductor James Gaffigan is much-traveled, much in demand". Seattle Times. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Steven Brown (February 21, 2014). "James Gaffigan strives for balanced approach". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  7. ↑ Joshua Kosman (November 2, 2005). "New associate conductor for Symphony". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  8. ↑ Martin Cullingford (February 8, 2010). "James Gaffigan to head Lucerne Symphony Orchestra". Gramophone. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  9. ↑ "LSO verlängert den Vertrag mit Chefdirigenten". Neue Luzerner Zeitung . June 19, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  10. ↑ Andrew Clements (April 25, 2013). "Rihm: Symphonie Nähe Fern – review". The Guardian. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  11. ↑ Fiona Maddocks (October 4, 2014). "Dvorák: Symphony No 6, American Suite Op 96b CD review – warm, subtle, pin-sharp". The Observer. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  12. ↑ Urs Mattenberger (August 13, 2019). "Gaffigan gibt Dirigentenstab des Luzerner Sinfonieorchesters ab". Luzerner Zeitung. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  13. ↑ "James Gaffigan appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra & Opera" (Press release). Askonas Holt. February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.[ permanent dead link ]
  14. ↑ "James Gaffigan appointed Music Director of Valencia's Palau de les Arts" (Press release). Askonas Holt. June 29, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  15. ↑ "James Gaffigan zum Generalmusikdirektor ernannt, Erina Yashima wird Erste Kapellmeisterin" (Press release). Komische Oper Berlin. January 4, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Stéphane Denève vaste gastdirigent van het Radio Filharmonisch Orkest" (Press release). Radio Filharmonisch Orkest. January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Les Arts comunica que James Gaffigan finalizará su etapa como director musical tras concluir la Temporada 2024-2025" (Press release). Radio Filharmonisch Orkest. December 19, 2024. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Houston Grand Opera Names James Gaffigan as Next Music Director" (Press release). Houston Grand Opera. November 6, 2025. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  19. ↑ Adam Nagourney (November 6, 2025). "An American Conductor Comes Home to Lead the Houston Grand Opera". The New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  20. ↑ Magnus Kallelid and Hilde Bjørhovde (September 30, 2020). "James Gaffigan brøt reglene fordi han er koronafast i Norge. Nå må den kjente dirigenten reise fra familien". Aftenposten. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
Cultural offices
Preceded by Chief Conductor, Lucerne Symphony Orchestra
2011–2021		Succeeded by
Preceded by Music Director, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía
2021–2025		Succeeded by
Preceded by Generalmusikdirektor, Komische Oper Berlin
2023–present		Succeeded by
incumbent
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