Alan Gilbert (conductor)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Alan Gilbert (born 23 February 1967, New York City) is an American violinist and conductor.

Contents

[edit] Early years

Alan Gilbert was born into a New York Philharmonic family. Both his father, Michael Gilbert, and his Japanese mother, Yoko Takebe, have had carrers as violinists in the Philharmonic; his father is retired, but his mother continues to perform in the orchestra.[1][2] Growing up in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, he attended the Ethical Culture Fieldston School. His parents were his first music teachers. As a youth, he learned the violin and the viola,[3] and took piano lessons from Mary-Lou Veterano for 13 years.

Gilbert then studied music at Harvard University, where he was music director of the Harvard Bach Society Orchestra in 1988–89;[4] the Curtis Institute of Music; the Juilliard School of Music; and the New England Conservatory, where he studied with Masuko Ushioda. He has also studied privately with Georg Solti. Gilbert won first prize at the International Competition for Musical Performance in Geneva. He has served as Assistant Concertmaster of the Santa Fe Opera orchestra.

[edit] Conducting career

During 1995–97, Gilbert was an assistant conductor with the Cleveland Orchestra. In 1997, he won the Seaver/National Endowment for the Arts Conductors Award.[5] Gilbert became the chief conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in January 2000, his first leadership post with an orchestra. During his Stockholm tenure, audience attendance increased and Gilbert helped to secure additional financial support from the regional government.[6] He concluded his Stockholm tenure in 2008. He has been Principal Guest Conductor of the NDR Symphony Orchestra since 2004.

In 2001, Gilbert conducted his first Santa Fe Opera production, Giuseppe Verdi's Falstaff. In 2003, he became Santa Fe Opera's first Music Director. His initial contract concluded at the end of the 2006 season. In November 2006, it was reported that Gilbert would be on "official sabbatical from June through August 2007" to spend more time with his family.[7] In May 2007, Santa Fe Opera announced that Gilbert had officially concluded his tenure as their music director.[8][9]

Gilbert made his first conducting appearance with the New York Philharmonic in 2001. After a total of 37 appereances as guest conductor, on July 18, 2007, the New York Philharmonic appointed Gilbert as its next music director, effective with the 2009–10 season.[10] He is the first native New Yorker to hold this position.[11] His contract includes a commitment of 12 subscription weeks of concerts per season for five years.

[edit] Personal life

Gilbert is married to the Swedish cellist Kajsa William-Olsson, a member of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. They have two children.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Daniel J. Wakin (2007-07-19). "A Son of the Orchestra Returns as Music Director". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/19/arts/music/19reac.html. Retrieved on 2007-07-21. 
  2. ^ Anthony Tommasini (2007-07-19). "Philharmonic Opts for Generation Next". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/19/arts/music/19tomm.html. Retrieved on 2007-07-21. 
  3. ^ Tim Page (2007-07-19). "Alan Gilbert to Lead New York Philharmonic". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/18/AR2007071802557.html. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  4. ^ Harvard Bach Society Orchestra (2008). "Past Music Directors". http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~bachsoc/pastconduct.html. Retrieved on 2009-07-01. 
  5. ^ Allan Kozinn (1997-10-23). "An Award Liberates Two More Conductors". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A04E6DE123EF930A15753C1A961958260. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  6. ^ Daniel J. Wakin (2007-10-07). "Forged in Sweden, Bound for New York". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/arts/music/07waki.html?pagewanted=all. Retrieved on 2009-04-24. 
  7. ^ "Q&A: Conductor Alan Gilbert, Caught Between Opera and Symphonic Work (And Loving It)", Playbill Arts, 2006-11-18
  8. ^ Matthew Westphal, "Alan Gilbert Steps Down as Music Director of Santa Fe Opera". Playbill Arts, 2007-05-08.
  9. ^ Anne Constable, "Santa Fe Opera music director steps down". The New Mexican, 2007-05-07.
  10. ^ Daniel J. Wakin (2007-07-18). "The Philharmonic Picks New Music Director". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/arts/music/18phil.html. Retrieved on 2007-07-18. 
  11. ^ Benjamin Ivry (2007-07-19). "A New Face for the Phil". New York Sun. http://www.nysun.com/article/58745. Retrieved on 2007-07-21. 

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Andrew Davis and Paavo Järvi		 Principal Conductor, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
2000-2008		 Succeeded by
Sakari Oramo
Preceded by
(no prior Music Director)		 Music Director, Santa Fe Opera
2003-2007		 Succeeded by
Kenneth Montgomery (interim music director)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Gilbert_(conductor)"
Personal tools