Andrew Lyon currently hold the posts of Music Director and President of the Circle City Chamber Group – a new not-for-profit arts organization working to bring together the young professionals of the Indianapolis’ arts and business communities. Lyon has recently opened the doors to Lyon Distribution, LLC - a sheet music distribution company that works solely with up-and-coming composers as they begin their career. In March 2008, he was appointed Director of Marketing and Public Affairs for the International Conductors’ Festival, an annual music festival that showcases the talents of conductors from around the world for two weeks in beautiful Kiev, Ukraine.
Before these posts, Lyon served as the Assistant Conductor of the Butler University (Indianapolis) Symphony Orchestra since August of 2006. At this post, he has worked as cover conductor for the orchestra’s various ballet, orchestra, and theatre productions. During the 2006-07 season, in addition to his covering duties, he stepped in as saxophonist for the orchestra’s “Evening of Broadway†concert and the 2006 production of The Photographer by Phillip Glass.
Lyon received his Masters in Music from Butler while studying with Butler Symphony Music Director Richard Auldon Clark. During his time on campus, Lyon appeared as guest conductor with the Butler Symphony Orchestra, Jordan College of Fine Arts Composers Orchestra, conducted for various students’ composition recitals, and produced and directed the First Annual “Composers Showcase†– a concert featuring World Premiere performances of music written by select students of Butler’s composition program. Among these various concerts, Mr. Lyon conducted the world premieres of over 10 pieces, including works by Aaron Krerowicz, Nicholas Liebman, Scott Comanzo, Zane Merritt. The highlight of his time Butler came when he wore many hats - including that of conductor, theatre director, and producer - for Butler University’s first full-theatrical production of Igor Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat. This production was given the highest-possible ranking of “Pass – with Distinction†by each member of the recital evaluation committee.
Coming off the success of L’Histoire, Lyon was one of three American conductors featured at the 2007 International Conductors Festival in Kiev, Ukraine, where he made his international debut with the orchestra of Ukraine’s National House of Organ and Chamber Music.
Prior to his arrival in Indianapolis, Lyon spent time in Las Vegas, NV where guest appearances included performances at the Las Vegas Music Festival; with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Symphony and Chamber Orchestras; and with The High Desert Winds horn ensemble. Working with the Las Vegas Philharmonic included being Musical Assistant for Television Production during the Philharmonic’s first-ever televised concert and assisting on Charles Ives’ Unanswered Question during the 2005 season premiere concert. Conducting teachers in Las Vegas included Takayoshi “Tad†Suzuki, Music Director, “TAD†Orchestra [Japan], and Harold Weller, Music Director, Las Vegas Philharmonic, both of whom would became dear friends and mentors.
Mr. Lyon received the Bachelor of Science in Music Performance degree from Illinois State University (Normal, IL) while studying saxophone performance with Jim Boitos. Before Illinois State, Lyon received the Associate in Arts degree from Oakton Community College (Des Plaines, IL), studying saxophone with Gerry Peters and conducting with Dan Detloff (Chicago Symphony Chorus, ret.), Andrew D. Johnson, and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra Music Director Allen Tinkham. At the same time, he enrolled in graduate level seminars and professional workshops at Northwestern University where he spent summers studying under such noted conductors as Victor Yampolsky, Kirk Trevor, Marious Smolij, Mallory Thompson, Don Owens, and Stephen Petterson. Traveling to other cities to attend workshops and clinics afforded him the opportunity to work with David Epstein, Paul Vermeel, Brian Priestman, Kenneth Klein, and Lawrence Leighton Smith.
