Andrew Litton
Encyclopedia
Andrew Litton is an American orchestral conductor
. Litton is a graduate of The Fieldston School, and holds both undergraduate and Masters degrees in music from Juilliard.
Litton was principal conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
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, following which he was named Music Director Emeritus. Since 2003, he has been Artistic Director of the Sommerfest concerts of the Minnesota Orchestra
, and in June 2008, his contract in this post was extended to 2011. 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. In March 2011, his Bergen contract was further extended through 2015.
Litton’s recordings (over one hundred) include a Grammy-winning William Walton
's Belshazzar's Feast
with Bryn Terfel
and the Bournemouth Symphony, a critically acclaimed set of Rachmaninoff
Piano Concertos with pianist Stephen Hough
, a live performance recording of Sweeney Todd
with the New York Philharmonic
(Grammy nomination), 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.
His early teachers included John DeMaio, and in 2003, he was awarded Yale University
's Sanford Medal.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. Litton is a graduate of The Fieldston School, and holds both undergraduate and Masters degrees in music from Juilliard.
Litton was principal conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is an English orchestra. Originally based in Bournemouth, the BSO moved its offices to the adjacent town of Poole in 1979....
from 1988 to 1994. and is now its conductor laureate. He served for twelve seasons as Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra. It performs its concerts in the Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States....
from 1994 to 2006, following which he was named Music Director Emeritus. Since 2003, he has been Artistic Director of the Sommerfest concerts of the Minnesota Orchestra
Minnesota Orchestra
The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.Emil Oberhoffer founded the orchestra as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, and it gave its first performance on November 5 of that year. In 1968 the orchestra changed to its name to the Minnesota Orchestra...
, and in June 2008, his contract in this post was extended to 2011. He has been Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world's oldest orchestral institutions. It performs some 110 concerts a year, and is based at the 1,500-seat Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway.-History:...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
since 2003. In June 2008, his contract with the Bergen Philharmonic was extended through the 2010-2011 season. In March 2011, his Bergen contract was further extended through 2015.
Litton’s recordings (over one hundred) include a Grammy-winning William Walton
William Walton
Sir William Turner Walton OM was an English composer. During a sixty-year career, he wrote music in several classical genres and styles, from film scores to opera...
's Belshazzar's Feast
Belshazzar's Feast
Belshazzar's Feast is described in the Book of Daniel. The Babylonian king Belshazzar profanes the sacred vessels of the enslaved Israelites. As prophesied by the writing on the wall, and interpreted by Daniel, Belshazzar is killed and Darius the Mede succeeds to his kingdom.There are many...
with Bryn Terfel
Bryn Terfel
Bryn Terfel Jones CBE is a Welsh bass-baritone opera and concert singer. Terfel was initially associated with the roles of Mozart, particularly Figaro and Leporello, but has subsequently shifted his attention to heavier roles, especially those by Wagner....
and the Bournemouth Symphony, a critically acclaimed set of Rachmaninoff
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music...
Piano Concertos with pianist Stephen Hough
Stephen Hough
Stephen Andrew Gill Hough is a British-born classical pianist, composer and writer. He became an Australian citizen in 2005 and thus has dual nationality .-Biography:...
, a live performance recording of Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as then antagonist of the Victorian penny dreadful The String of Pearls and he was later introduced as an antihero in the broadway musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and its film adaptation...
with the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
(Grammy nomination), a Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
Walton Centennial boxed set, the complete Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
Symphonies with the Bournemouth Symphony, the complete Rachmaninoff Symphonies with the Royal Philharmonic, Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
's Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev)
Romeo and Juliet is a ballet by Sergei Prokofiev based on William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. It is one of the most enduringly popular ballets...
with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, and many Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
recordings, both as conductor and pianist, with the Dallas Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, and Royal Philharmonic.
His early teachers included John DeMaio, and in 2003, he was awarded Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
's Sanford Medal.