Artistic & Music Director: Marlon Daniel
American conductor Marlon Daniel is a protégé of the renowned Finnish pedagogue Jorma Panula. He has been described as “a natural and enormous talent” by the Chicago Sun-Times and as “fabulous and exceptional” by Pravda – Moscow. He is one of the most dynamic conductors of his generation and is a bright light for diversity in the world of classical music. He has performed in prestigious venues in Asia, Europe and the United States, from Carnegie Hall to the Rudolfinum.
A laureate of the 2018 Bucharest Symphony Orchestra International Conducting Competition, he has also a recipient of the ‘Voice of the Artist’ Award from the United Nations in recognition of his charitable work bringing awareness to the crisis in Darfur and an Honorary Key to the City of Chicago for Outstanding Musical Achievement. Recently, he has made acclaimed débuts with Chineke! in London, the Havana Lyceum Orchestra, Sofia Sinfonietta, Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra and the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Cuba, where he was the first American to date invited since President Barack Obama’s historic lifting of the U.S. embargo in 2015, and the only African American to conduct the orchestra in its sixty-year history.
He is the world’s foremost exponent and interpreter of the music of Chevalier de Saint-Georges and a champion of works by living composers, especially of African descent. His recording “Phoenix Forever” (music of Hampson Sisler) on the MSR Classics label received rave reviews and was in consideration for a 2011 GRAMMY.
He has held positions the positions of Director of Orchestral Ensembles at Fordham University, Associate Professor at Drew University as Music Director of the University Orchestra, visiting conductor of the El Sistema program ‘Ang Misyon’ in the Philippines, Guest Conductor for a reading with Manhattan School of Music Orchestra Performance Orchestra, Substitute Conductor for Mannes School of Music Preparatory Orchestra, Guest Conductor of the New York City High School Honors Music Festival Orchestra, Director of the Bahamas National Orchestra Workshop, Guest Artist Lecturer/Director of Columbia University Teachers College for the Diversity in Classical Music Project and have been a Guest Lecturer at Yale University.
Currently, he is Artistic and Music Director of the Festival International de Musique Saint-Georges, Music Director of Ensemble du Monde (chamber orchestra), Principal Guest Conductor of the Pazardzhik Symphony Orchestra and Associate Conductor of Florida Grand Opera.
Official Website
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlon_Daniel