Andrew Litton is Music Director of Norway’s Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Artistic Director of the Minnesota Orchestra’s Sommerfest, and Conductor Laureate of Britain’s Bournemouth Symphony. He guest conducts the world’s leading orchestras and opera companies and has a discography of almost 100 recordings, including a Grammy and other honors. Mr. Litton became the first American Music Director of the Bergen Philharmonic in 2003, and has recently extended his contract through 2015, the year the orchestra celebrates its 250th Birthday. In recognition of his artistic achievements and efforts to bring the orchestra the international attention it deserves, the King of Norway recently made Litton a Knight of the Norwegian Order of Merit. Under Litton the Bergen Philharmonic tours Europe extensively, made a BBC Proms London début and appeared at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and Vienna’s Musikverein. The orchestra toured America for the first time in 40 years and appeared at New York’s Carnegie Hall. Their 11 concert Germany/Austria tour in March of 2011 included such cities as Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Cologne, Stuttgart, Vienna and Linz. Litton and the Bergen Philharmonic record for the BIS and Hyperion labels, winning extraordinary critical acclaim for a BIS series of Mendelssohn recordings. The initial release in a Stravinsky ballet series is already getting a great reception. Mr Litton spent much of the last season in the opera pit, presiding over the first production at the Deutsche Oper Berlin of Richard Strauss Die Liebe der Danae since it’s premiere in 1952. Arthaus has recorded the production for DVD release. He also made his debut at the Australian Opera with Der Rosenkavalier, which was filmed for theatrical release. In Bergen, he conducted a new production La Boheme with the opera company he helped create, Den Nye Oper. Mr. Litton returned to the Royal Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, MDR Sinfonie of Leipzig, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Orchestra Nationale de Lille, among others. Besides returning for his ninth season as Artistic Director of Minnesota Orchestra’s Sommerfest, highlights of the current season include a return with the Royal Philharmonic to London’s Albert Hall BBC Proms for a marathon concert celebrating the legacy of Serge Koussevitsky, Netherlands Philhamonic, Belgian National Orchestra, Hamburg Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, City of Birmingham Symphony, MDR Leipzig, National Symphony (Washington, DC), Vancouver Symphony, and the Colorado Symphony. He will be making debuts with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Orquestra Simfonica de Galicia, and the Orchestra of the Beethovenhalle Bonn, among others. Mr. Litton’s recordings include a Grammy-winning Belshazzar’s Feast with the Bournemouth Symphony and baritone Bryn Terfel, a Grammy nominated Sweeney Todd with the New York Philharmonic and Patti Lupone, and numerous recordings in a dual role of pianist conducting from the keyboard. Mr. Litton’s Mendelssohn Symphony series with the Bergen Philharmonic won one of BBC Magazine’s coveted annual awards and special recognition in Gramophone and Classic FM magazines. Mr. Litton was Principal Conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony from 1988-1994, bringing it on its first American tour and producing 14 recordings, including the Grammy winning Belshazzar’s Feast. Music Director of the Dallas Symphony from 1994-2006, he hired over one third of the players, led the orchestra on three major European tours, appeared four times at Carnegie Hall, created a children’s television series broadcast nationally and in widespread use in school curricula, and produced 28 recordings. Mr. Litton’s Dallas Symphony Rachmaninov Piano Concerto recordings with Stephen Hough, widely hailed as the best since the composer’s own, won the Classical Brits/BBC Critics Award. Andrew Litton, a graduate of the Fieldston School, New York, received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Juilliard in piano and conducting. The youngest-ever winner of the BBC International Conductors Competition, he served as Assistant Conductor at Teatro alla Scala and Exxon/Arts Endowment Assistant Conductor for the National Symphony under Rostropovich. His many honors include an honorary Doctorate from the University of Bournemouth, Yale University’s Sanford Medal, and the Elgar Society Medal.
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