David Itkin

David Itkin

David Chester Itkin (born May 2, 1957) is an American conductor and composer. He served as music director and conductor of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra from 1993 to 2010.[1][2] He currently holds multiple appointments. He is music director/conductor of the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra[3] and the Las Vegas Philharmonic,[4][5] and music director/director of orchestral studies for the University of North Texas Symphony Orchestra.[6]

Composer

As a composer, Itkin's most notable works are Jonah, a tone poem for narrator and orchestra,[7] and Exodus, an oratorio.[4] Exodus premiered in April 2005 in Little Rock, with William Shatner narrating. It was released on CD in 2007.[1]

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra recorded Itkin's first film score in 2006 for the film Sugar Creek, released in 2007.[1]

Conductor

From 1988 to 1993, Itkin served as associate conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, during which time he was made Honorary Lieutenant Governor of the State of Alabama for outstanding service to the arts.[1] He was conductor of the Birmingham Opera Theatre and the Kingsport [Tennessee] Symphony from 1992 to 1995, music director for the Lucius Woods Festival Concerts in Solon Springs, Wisconsin from 1993 to 2000, and music director of Chicago's Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra from 1997 to 2000.[1]

In 1993, Itkin began his 16-year tenure as conductor (and later conductor/music director) of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. He was appointed music director/conductor of the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra in 2005,[3] and music director/conductor of the Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra in 2007.[4][5] In the fall of 2008, Itkin became music director and director of orchestral studies for the University of North Texas Symphony Orchestra.[6]

In May 2009, Maestro Itkin was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Lyon College[1]

He has been a guest conductor with more than 40 symphony orchestras, opera and ballet companies worldwide, including the San Diego Symphony, the Winnipeg Symphony, the Ft. Worth Symphony, the Slovenska Filharmonija, the Seoul Philharmonic, the Shanghai Broadcast Symphony, the Illinois Symphony, the Delaware Symphony, the New Hampshire Symphony, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, the Annapolis Symphony, the National Repertory Orchestras, the Colorado Symphony, and the Reno Chamber Orchestra.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Arkansas Symphony Orchestra profile of David Itkin
  2. ^ ASO Announces Appointment of Phillip Mann in 2010
  3. ^ a b Abilene Philharmonic profile of David Itkin
  4. ^ a b c Las Vegas Philharmonic Selects Music Director, by Vivien Schweitzer, Playbill Arts, March 29, 2007
  5. ^ a b The new leader of the band, by Kristen Peterson, The Las Vegas Sun, March 29, 2007
  6. ^ a b University of North Texas website news item, April 9, 2008
  7. ^ Itkin to conduct his 'Jonah' composition, Abilene Reporter-News, April 18, 2007


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