Scott Voyles
conductor
An artist dedicated to the music of our time, Scott Voyles has quickly attracted some major international attention for his devotion to contemporary music and opera. Having collaborated and prepared scores for composers and conductors such as John Harbison, Wolfgang Rihm, Johannes Maria Staud, Chinary Ung, Chen Yi, David Del Tredici, Richard Wernick, George Tsontakis, Marc Satterwhite, Franck Ollu, Cliff Colnot, Carl St. Clair and Arthur Weisberg, Voyles is rapidly establishing himself as a young artist on the rise.
The only American invited to conduct the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris for Pierre Boulez in the organization’s most recent international conductor search, he appeared in concert at the Klangspuren Festival in Innsbruck, Austria with the Ensemble Modern Akademie and was the cover conductor for the Abschlusskonzert of the Brucknerfest 2007 in a performance of Gustav Mahler's Symphonie Nr. 5 in cis-Moll with the Bruckner Orchester Linz and assistant to conductor Karen Kamensek. As Artistic Director of the 2007 UNICEF Concert for Peace, an event that will include honored guest speaker and activist Nick Clooney , he will conduct a performance of Mahler's Symphonie Nr. 4 in G-dur arranged for chamber ensemble by Erwin Stein featuring soprano Caroline Worra of the Metropolitan Opera.
At the invitation of the Grawemeyer Award-winning composer, Scott conducted the world premiere of Chinary Ung's Spiral IX: Maha Sathukar with baritone Thomas Buckner , violist Susan Ung and percussionist Steven Schick in concert at the Asia Society in New York City. In May, he assisted the Washington Square Ensemble and composer Louis Karchin in a production of Karchin's opera Romulus as part of the Works & Process Series at the Guggenheim Museum and performed similar duties for the Manhattan School of Music Opera and American Opera Projects . While serving as Acting Director of the New Music Collective at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, he directed a program honoring the 70th birthday of and served as musical assistant to 1980 Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Del Tredici .
Formerly the Music Director of the Indiana University Opera Studio, Assistant Conductor of the Indiana University New Music Ensemble and Artist Apprentice of American Opera Projects in New York City, he was educated at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and received his Bachelor of Music degree in Performance from the University of Louisville as a trumpet student of Michael Tunnell in 2003.
acclaim
“...well-prepared, economical in gesture and rehearsal technique, engaged with the musical substance and an excellent motivator and accompanist...a conductor of unusual and essential virtues.â€
John Harbison , composer
1987 Pulitzer Prize in Music
"Scott’s musicality and ability to get into the spirit of my piece impressed me very much. His encouraging skills and a good sense of humour during the rehearsals helped him to achieve an extremely high musical standard... One can feel that music is for him always a dialouge with people in which he brings in his vast knowledge of repertoire and a passion which is not all that common in the musical world. His love for tiny details, his sense for overall musical architecture, his flexibility and open-mindedness and sheer passion for music makes him a joy for a composer to work with."
Johannes Maria Staud , 2007-09 Lewis Composer Fellow
The Cleveland Orchestra
"I have worked with Scott in both orchestra and chamber music and am very impressed with his professionalism, rehearsal techniques, musical intelligence, imagination and the inspiration he elicits from the players. Scott is selfless in his approach, putting the music ahead of any self-aggrandizement...He is a highly capable conductor and a sentient musician who is destined to have a career in both traditional and contemporary music."
Cliff Colnot , principal conductor
Chicago Symphony MusicNOW, Civic Orchestra of Chicago
"...a very enthusiastic and energetic young conductor who rehearsed the ensemble effectively. He is very sensitive in timing and balance, precise in pitch and rhythm and gave an excellent performance of my octet...I was deeply impressed."
Chen Yi , composer
"Scott's abilities as a conductor and musician cannot be lauded enough. From the very first rehearsal, he exhibits absolute command of the score and of the ensemble...He possesses a keen intellect, a superb ear and the ability to convey clearly and directly his musical desires..."
Claude Baker , composer
former Composer-in-Residence, Saint Louis Symphony
player performance credit
Georgina Joshi, soprano
Indiana University New Music Ensemble
Scott Voyles, conductor
