Andrew Litton

Last updated

Andrew Litton (born May 16, 1959, New York City) is an American orchestral conductor. Litton is a graduate of The Fieldston School. He studied piano with Nadia Reisenberg and conducting with Sixten Ehrling at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, receiving his Bachelor of Music degree and his Master of Music degree from in piano and conducting. He also received lessons in conducting from Walter Weller at the Salzburg Mozarteum and Edoardo Müller in Milan. His early teachers included John DeMaio. The youngest-ever winner of the BBC International Conductors Competition in 1982, he served as Assistant Conductor at Teatro alla Scala and Exxon/Arts Endowment Assistant Conductor for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C. under Mstislav Rostropovich (1982-1985), where subsequently he was Associate Conductor (1985-1986). [1] Litton was a participant in the Affiliate Artists Exxon-Arts Endowment Conductors Program. [2] In 2003, he was awarded Yale University's Sanford Medal.

Litton started his conducting career with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, where he served as the principal conductor from 1988 to 1994, and is now its conductor laureate. He served for twelve seasons as Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra from 1994 to 2006, [3] following which he was named Music Director Emeritus. From 2003 to 2017, he was Artistic Director of the Sommerfest concerts of the Minnesota Orchestra.

He has been Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in Norway since 2003. In June 2008, his contract with the Bergen Philharmonic was extended through the 2010–2011 season. [4] In March 2011, his Bergen contract was further extended through 2015. [5] He is scheduled to conclude his Bergen tenure in 2015 and to take the title of conductor laureate with the orchestra. [6] In June 2012, Litton accepted the post of Artistic Adviser with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra through the 2014–2015 season beginning September 1, 2012. [7] In August 2013, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra elevated Litton's title to Music Director, with immediate effect. [8] [9] In December 2014, New York City Ballet appointed Litton its next music director, effective in September 2015. [10] [11] In September 2015, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra announced that Litton is to stand down from his post as the orchestra's music director after the 2015–2016 season, and to become the orchestra's artistic advisor and principal guest conductor through the 2017–2018 season. [12] In May 2017, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra announced Litton as their new Principal Guest Conductor, to begin September 2017. [13]

Litton's recordings include a Grammy-winning William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast with Bryn Terfel and the Bournemouth Symphony, a set of Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos with pianist Stephen Hough, a live performance recording of Sweeney Todd , performed with the New York Philharmonic, which received a Grammy nomination. Other recordings: a Decca Walton Centennial boxed set, the complete Tchaikovsky Symphonies with the Bournemouth Symphony, the complete Rachmaninoff Symphonies with the Royal Philharmonic, Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, and many Gershwin recordings, both as conductor and pianist, with the Dallas Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, and Royal Philharmonic. Litton is one of the ambassadors to Music Traveler, together with Billy Joel, Hans Zimmer, John Malkovich, Sean Lennon, Adrien Brody.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Rattle</span> British conductor (born 1955)

Sir Simon Denis Rattle is a British-German conductor. He rose to international prominence during the 1980s and 1990s, while music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–1998). Rattle was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic from 2002 to 2018. He has been the music director of the London Symphony Orchestra since September 2017. Among the world's leading conductors, in a 2015 Bachtrack poll, he was ranked by music critics as one of the world's best living conductors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra</span> English orchestra with a remit to serve the South and South West of England

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an English orchestra, founded in 1893 and originally based in Bournemouth. With a remit to serve the South and South West of England, the BSO is administratively based in the adjacent town of Poole, since 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Symphony Orchestra</span> Orchestra

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is an American orchestra based in Dallas, Texas. Its principal performing venue is the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of downtown Dallas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edo de Waart</span> Dutch conductor (born 1941)

Edo de Waart is a Dutch conductor. He is Music Director Laureate of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. De Waart is the former chief conductor of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic (2011-2016), Artistic Partner with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (2010-2014), and music director of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (2016-2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Symphony No. 2 (Rachmaninoff)</span> Symphony in four movements composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff

The Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27 by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff was written from October 1906 to April 1907. The premiere was performed at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg on 26 January 1908, with the composer conducting. Its duration is approximately 60 minutes when performed uncut; cut performances can be as short as 35 minutes. The score is dedicated to Sergei Taneyev, a Russian composer, teacher, theorist, author, and pupil of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The piece remains one of the composer's most popular and best known compositions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marin Alsop</span> American conductor

Marin Alsop is an American-born Austrian conductor, the first woman to win the Koussevitzky Prize for conducting and the first conductor to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. She is music director laureate of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and chief conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Ravinia Festival. She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2008 and to the American Philosophical Society in 2020. On June 5, 2023, she was named as the artistic director and conductor of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.

The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is a Norwegian orchestra based in Bergen. Its principal concert venue is the Grieg Hall.

Sakari Markus Oramo, is a Finnish conductor. He is chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado Symphony</span> American symphony orchestra located in Denver, Colorado

The Colorado Symphony is an American symphony orchestra located in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1989 as the successor to the Denver Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony performs in Boettcher Concert Hall, located in the Denver Performing Arts center, and throughout the Front Range, presenting education and outreach programs, as well as Masterworks, Pops, Holiday, Family, and the Inside the Score and Symphony on the Rocks series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Markus Stenz</span> German conductor (born 1965)

Markus Stenz is a German conductor. He studied at the Hochschule für Musik Köln with Volker Wangenhein and at Tanglewood with Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gianandrea Noseda</span> Italian conductor (born 1964)

Gianandrea Noseda is an Italian conductor. He is currently the music director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C.; general music director (Generalmusikdirektor) of Zurich Opera; principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra; and the music director of the Tsinandali Festival in Tsinandali, Georgia.

Lawrence Leighton Smith, was an American conductor and pianist.

James Paul is an American conductor. He is currently the music director of the Oregon Coast Music Festival.

Michael Stern is an American symphony conductor. Currently, he serves as the music director and lead conductor of the Kansas City Symphony in Kansas City, Missouri. In 2019, he was also named the fourth music director of the Stamford Symphony in Stamford, Connecticut [now known at Orchestra LUMOS]. He is also the founding music director of the IRIS Orchestra in Germantown, Tennessee. In 2021, Stern was appointed as Music Director of the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, CO. He is only the third Music Director in the organization's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Gardner (conductor)</span> English conductor

Edward Gardner is an English conductor. While still studying at the Royal Academy of Music in the late 1990s, he began his professional career as a choral conductor and repetiteur. Among other early posts, he was music director of Glyndebourne on Tour from 2004 to 2007. Gardner was music director of English National Opera from 2007 to 2015. From 2010 to 2016, he was principal guest conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and since 2013, he has been principal guest conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2021, he has been principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2022, he also became artistic advisor of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, where he is scheduled to become the music director in 2024.

John Gunnar Rafael Storgårds is a Finnish conductor and violinist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juanjo Mena</span> Spanish conductor (born 1965)

Juanjo Mena is a Spanish conductor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Fedorova</span> Musical artist

Anna Borysivna Fedorova is a Ukrainian concert pianist. Fedorova performs as soloist, chamber musician and with symphony orchestras in the major concert halls of the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, UK, Ukraine, Poland, the US, Mexico, Argentina, and parts of Asia. Fedorova is a David Young Piano Prize Holder supported by a Soiree d'Or Award and Keyboard Trust.

Kazuki Yamada is a Japanese conductor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black conductors</span>

Black conductors are musicians of African, Caribbean, African-American ancestry and other members of the African diaspora who are musical ensemble leaders who direct classical music performances, such as an orchestral or choral concerts, or jazz ensemble big band concerts by way of visible gestures with the hands, arms, face and head. Conductors of African descent are rare, as the vast majority are male and Caucasian.

References

  1. ↑ "Andrew Litton (Biography) - Short Biography". www.bach-cantatas.com. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  2. ↑ Holland, Bernard, "Music: Young Musicians Sell Their Wares Door to Door", New York Times, August 20, 1989
  3. ↑ Richard Morrison (2005-12-02). "ENO regrets? No, just plans". The Times. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
  4. ↑ Charlotte Smith, "Andrew Litton extends his contract as Bergen Philharmonic music director". Gramophone, 12 June 2008.
  5. ↑ Åge Algerøy & Halvor Folgerø (2011-03-23). "Smilande dirigent tar fire nye år". NRK. Retrieved 2011-08-21.
  6. ↑ "Edward Gardner to head the Bergen Philharmonic". Gramophone. 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2013-02-28.
  7. ↑ Wenzel, John (25 June 2012). "Andrew Litton plans to take Colorado Symphony Orchestra on tour, on CD". Denver Post.
  8. ↑ "Andrew Litton Named Colorado Symphony Music Director" (PDF) (Press release). Colorado Symphony Orchestra. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-25.[ permanent dead link ]
  9. ↑ Ray Mark Rinaldi (2013-08-21). "CSO conductor Litton named orchestra music director". Denver Post. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  10. ↑ Michael Cooper (2014-12-17). "Andrew Litton to Lead New York City Ballet Orchestra". New York Times. Retrieved 2014-12-17.
  11. ↑ TASS; Bekreneva, Alexandra (2014-12-24). "New NYCB director discusses his Russian roots". www.rbth.com. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  12. ↑ "Andrew Litton To Become Colorado Symphony Artistic Advisor and Principal Guest Conductor" (Press release). Colorado Symphony Orchestra. 2015-09-15. Retrieved 2016-01-04.
  13. ↑ "Andrew Litton Appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra" (Press release). Singapore Symphony Orchestra. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-13.
Cultural offices
Preceded by Principal Conductor, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
1988–1994		Succeeded by
Preceded by Music Director, Dallas Symphony Orchestra
1994–2006		Succeeded by
Preceded by Principal Conductor, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
2003–2015		Succeeded by
Preceded by Music Director, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
2013-2016		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Andrews Sill (interim music director)
 Music Director, New York City Ballet
2015-present		Succeeded by
incumbent
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.