Alan Gilbert (conductor)

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

Biography

Gilbert's father, Michael Gilbert, is a retired violinist from the New York Philharmonic, while his Japanese mother, Yoko Takebe, continues to play as a violinist in the orchestra. [cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/19/arts/music/19reac.html | title=A Son of the Orchestra Returns as Music Director | publisher="New York Times" | author=Daniel J. Wakin | date=2007-07-19 | accessdate=2007-07-21] [cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/19/arts/music/19tomm.html | title=Philharmonic Opts for Generation Next | publisher="New York Times" | author=Anthony Tommasini | date=2007-07-19 | accessdate=2007-07-21] Growing up in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, he attended the Ethical Culture Fieldston School. His parents were his first music teachers. Gilbert then studied the violin and viola at Harvard University, the Curtis Institute of Music, the New England Conservatory and the Juilliard School of Music. He has also studied privately with Georg Solti. While growing up, he took piano lessons from Mary-Lou Vetrano for 13 years. He won first prize at the International Competition for Musical Performance in Geneva. In 1997 he received the Seaver/National Endowment for the Arts Conductors Award. [cite news | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A04E6DE123EF930A15753C1A961958260 | title=An Award Liberates Two More Conductors | work=New York Times | author=Allan Kozinn | date=1997-10-23 | accessdate=2008-03-16] He has served as Assistant Concertmaster of the orchestra of the Santa Fe Opera.

Career

Gilbert became the chief conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in January 2000, and concluded his tenure in this position in 2008. In 2001, he made his conducting debut at Santa Fe Opera (SFO) in a production of Giuseppe Verdi's "Falstaff", and in 2003, he became SFO'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. [ [http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/5614.html "Q&A: Conductor Alan Gilbert, Caught Between Opera and Symphonic Work (And Loving It)", "Playbill Arts", 18 November 2006] ] , and an examination of the SFO [http://www.santafeopera.org/2007/2007seasonoverview.php 2007 "Season Overview"] page did not list him as conducting any of the 2007 productions. In May 2007, Santa Fe Opera announced that Gilbert had officially concluded his tenure as their music director. [ [http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/6460.html Matthew Westphal, "Alan Gilbert Steps Down as Music Director of Santa Fe Opera". "Playbill Arts", 8 May 2007.] ] [Anne Constable, "Santa Fe Opera music director steps down". "The New Mexican", 9 May 2007.]

Gilbert has guest-conducted with many American orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra. He has been Principal Guest Conductor of the NDR Symphony Orchestra since 2004.

On July 18, 2007, the New York Philharmonic named Gilbert as its next music director, effective with the 2009-2010 season. [cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/arts/music/18phil.html| title=The Philharmonic Picks New Music Director | publisher="New York Times" | author=Daniel J. Wakin | date=2007-07-18 | accessdate=2007-07-18] He made his conducting debut with the New York Philharmonic in 2001 and guest-conducted 31 concerts before being named to this position. His tenure is scheduled to begin in the 2009-2010 season, and to include a commitment of 12 subscription weeks of concerts per season, for five years. When he assumes this role, he will be the first native New Yorker to hold the title. [cite news | url=http://www.nysun.com/article/58745 | title=A New Face for the Phil | publisher="New York Sun" | author=Benjamin Ivry | date=2007-07-19 | accessdate=2007-07-21]

Family

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

References

External links

* [http://www.imgartists.com/?page=artist&id=243&c=2 IMG Artists biography]
* [http://www.operatoday.com/content/2006/07/strong_tempest.php J.A. Van Sant, "Strong "Tempest" at Santa Fe". "Opera Today" (blog), 31 July 2006; includes discussion of Gilbert situation with Santa Fe Opera]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=8897630 Jeff Lunden, "Young Conductor at Home with N.Y. Philharmonic". "All Things Considered" (National Public Radio program, USA), 15 March, 2007]
* [http://rss.news.yahoo.com/imgrss/events/en/071807nyphilharmonic "New York Philharmonic has new conductor"] on Yahoo! News Photos
* cite news | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/18/AR2007071802557.html
title=Alan Gilbert to Lead New York Philharmonic| publisher=Washington Post|author=Tim Page|date= 2007-07-19|accessdate=2008-03-16