Courtney Lewis

"What’s most striking in the rehearsals is the rapport between Lewis and the players. His style of conducting is quick, alert, physically expressive. After each movement or passage he whips through the technical stuff…but he also communicates through metaphor, speaking evocatively about the music and giving the musicians room to respond, to draw it out of themselves." — Boston Globe
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About

With clear artistic vision, subtle musicality, and innovative programming, Courtney Lewis has established himself as one of his generation’s most talented conductors. The 2017/18 season will mark his third season as Music Director of the Jacksonville Symphony. Highlights of the past season included engagements with the Dallas Symphony and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.

Since his debut in November 2008 with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, he has since appeared with the Atlanta Symphony, Washington National Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota . . . Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Houston Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, and Ulster Orchestra, among others.

As a young conductor, Courtney Lewis has served as Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic, Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, and Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

From 2008 to 2014, Courtney Lewis was the music director of Boston’s acclaimed Discovery Ensemble, a chamber orchestra dedicated not only to giving concerts of contemporary and established repertoire at the highest level of musical and technical excellence, but also bringing live music into the least privileged parts of Boston with workshops in local schools.

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Lewis read music at the University of Cambridge during which time he studied composition with Robin Holloway and clarinet with Dame Thea King. After completing a master’s degree with a focus on the late music of György Ligeti, he attended the Royal Northern College of Music, where his teachers included Sir Mark Elder and Clark Rundell.

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