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{{short description|American orchestral conductor (born 1959)}}
'''Andrew Litton''' (born May 16, 1959, [[New York City]]) is an American [[orchestral]] [[Conducting|conductor]]. Litton is a graduate of [[The Fieldston School]].
== Biography ==
Litton started his conducting career with the [[Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra]], where he served as the principal conductor from 1988 to 1994, and is now its conductor laureate. He served for twelve seasons as Music Director of the [[Dallas Symphony Orchestra]] from 1994 to 2006,<ref>{{cite news | author=Richard Morrison | title=ENO regrets? No, just plans | url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article598649.ece | work=The Times | date=2005-12-02 | accessdate=2007-03-10}}</ref> following which he was named Music Director Emeritus. Since 2003, he has been Artistic Director of the Sommerfest concerts of the [[Minnesota Orchestra]], and in June 2008, his contract in this post was extended to 2011.<ref>Rob Hubbard, "Sommerfest artistic director Litton extends contract with Minnesota Orchestra". ''Pioneer Press'', 30 June 2008.</ref> He has been Music Director and Principal Conductor of the [[Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra]] in [[Norway]] since 2003. In June 2008, his contract with the Bergen Philharmonic was extended through the 2010-2011 season.<ref>Charlotte Smith, "Andrew Litton extends his contract as Bergen Philharmonic music director". ''Gramophone'', 12 June 2008.</ref> In March 2011, his Bergen contract was further extended through 2015.<ref>{{cite news | author=Åge Algerøy & Halvor Folgerø | title=Smilande dirigent tar fire nye år | url=http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/hordaland/1.7562792 | work=NRK | date=2011-03-23 | accessdate=2011-08-21}}</ref> He is scheduled to conclude his Bergen tenure in 2015 and to take the title of conductor laureate with the orchestra.<ref>{{cite news | author= | title=Edward Gardner to head the Bergen Philharmonic | url=http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/edward-gardner-to-head-the-bergen-philharmonic | work=Gramophone| date=2013-02-18 | accessdate=2013-02-28}}</ref> In June 2012, Litton accepted the post of Artistic Adviser with the [[Colorado Symphony Orchestra]] through the 2014-2015 season beginning September 1, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wenzel|first=John|title=Andrew Litton plans to take Colorado Symphony Orchestra on tour, on CD|publisher=Denver Post}}</ref> In August 2013, the [[Colorado Symphony Orchestra]] elevated Litton's title to Music Director, with immediate effect.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://coloradosymphony.org/pdfs/Litton_Music_Director_Press_Release_-_Final.pdf |title=Andrew Litton Named Colorado Symphony Music Director |publisher=Colorado Symphony Orchestra |date=20 August 2013 |accessdate=2013-08-25 }}{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | author=Ray Mark Rinaldi | title=CSO conductor Litton named orchestra music director | url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_23904986/cso-conductor-litton-named-orchestra-music-director | work=Denver Post | date=2013-08-21 | accessdate=2013-08-25}}</ref> In December 2014, [[New York City Ballet]] appointed Litton its next music director, effective in September 2015.<ref>{{cite news | author=Michael Cooper | title=Andrew Litton to Lead New York City Ballet Orchestra | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/17/arts/dance/andrew-litton-to-lead-new-york-city-ballet-orchestra.html | work=New York Times | date=2014-12-17 | accessdate=2014-12-17}}</ref> In September 2015, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra announced that Litton is to stand down from his post as the orchestra's music director after the 2015-2016 season, and to become the orchestra's artistic advisor and principal guest conductor through the 2017-2018 season.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.coloradosymphony.org/Press-Releases/ID/313/Andrew-Litton-Becomes-Colorado-Symphony-Artistic-Advisor-and-Principal-Guest-Conductor | title=Andrew Litton To Become Colorado Symphony Artistic Advisor and Principal Guest Conductor | publisher=Colorado Symphony Orchestra | date=2015-09-15 | accessdate=2016-01-04}}</ref>. In May 2017, the [[Singapore Symphony Orchestra]] announced Litton as their new Principal Guest Conductor, to begin September 2017. <ref>{{cite press release|url= https://www.sso.org.sg/press/press-releases/announcements/andrew-litton-appointed-principal-guest-conductor-of-the-singapore-symphony-orchestra |title=Andrew Litton Appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra |publisher=Singapore Symphony Orchestra |date=15 May 2017 |accessdate=2017-09-13 }}</ref>▼
He studied piano with [[Nadia Reisenberg]] and conducting with [[Sixten Ehrling]] at the [[Juilliard School|Juilliard School of Music]] in New York, receiving his Bachelor of Music degree and his Master of Music degree from in piano and conducting. He also received lessons in conducting from [[Walter Weller]] at the [[Salzburg Mozarteum]] and [[Edoardo Müller]] in Milan. His early teachers included John DeMaio. The youngest-ever winner of the BBC International Conductors Competition in 1982, he served as Assistant Conductor at [[La Scala|Teatro alla Scala]] and Exxon/Arts Endowment Assistant Conductor for the [[National Symphony Orchestra]] in Washington D.C. under [[Mstislav Rostropovich]] (1982-1985), where subsequently he was Associate Conductor (1985-1986).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Andrew Litton (Biography) - Short Biography|url=https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Litton-Andrew.htm|access-date=2021-12-09|website=www.bach-cantatas.com}}</ref> Litton was a participant in the [[Affiliate Artists]] Exxon-Arts Endowment Conductors Program.<ref>Holland, Bernard, [https://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/20/arts/music-young-musicians-sell-their-wares-door-to-door.html "Music: Young Musicians Sell Their Wares Door to Door"], ''New York Times'', August 20, 1989</ref> In 2003, he was awarded [[Yale University]]'s [[Sanford Medal]].
Litton started his conducting career with the [[Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra]], where he served as the principal conductor from 1988 to 1994, and is now its conductor laureate. He served for twelve seasons as Music Director of the [[Dallas Symphony Orchestra]] from 1994 to 2006,<ref>{{cite news | author=Richard Morrison | title=ENO regrets? No, just plans | url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article598649.ece | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517030422/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article598649.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=May 17, 2011 | work=The Times | date=2005-12-02 | access-date=2007-03-10}}</ref> following which he was named Music Director Emeritus. From 2003 to 2017, he was Artistic Director of the Sommerfest concerts of the [[Minnesota Orchestra]].
Litton's recordings include a [[Grammy]]-winning [[William Walton]]'s ''[[Belshazzar's Feast (Walton)|Belshazzar's Feast]]'' with [[Bryn Terfel]] and the [[Bournemouth Symphony]], a set of [[Sergei Rachmaninoff|Rachmaninoff]] Piano Concertos with pianist [[Stephen Hough]], a live performance recording of ''[[Sweeney Todd]]'', performed with the [[New York Philharmonic]], which received a Grammy nomination. Other recordings: a [[Decca Records|Decca]] Walton Centennial boxed set, the complete [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Tchaikovsky]] Symphonies with the Bournemouth Symphony, the complete Rachmaninoff Symphonies with the [[Royal Philharmonic]], [[Sergei Prokofiev]]'s ''[[Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev)|Romeo and Juliet]]'' with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, and many [[George Gershwin|Gershwin]] recordings, both as conductor and pianist, with the Dallas Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, and Royal Philharmonic.▼
▲
▲Litton's recordings include a [[Grammy]]-winning [[William Walton]]'s ''[[Belshazzar's Feast (Walton)|Belshazzar's Feast]]'' with [[Bryn Terfel]] and the [[Bournemouth Symphony]], a set of [[Sergei Rachmaninoff|Rachmaninoff]] Piano Concertos with pianist [[Stephen Hough]], a live performance recording of ''[[Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street|Sweeney Todd]]'', performed with the [[New York Philharmonic]], which received a Grammy nomination. Other recordings: a [[Decca Records|Decca]] Walton Centennial boxed set, the complete [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Tchaikovsky]] Symphonies with the Bournemouth Symphony, the complete Rachmaninoff Symphonies with the [[Royal Philharmonic]], [[Sergei Prokofiev]]'s ''[[Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev)|Romeo and Juliet]]'' with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, and many [[George Gershwin|Gershwin]] recordings, both as conductor and pianist, with the Dallas Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, and Royal Philharmonic. Litton is one of the ambassadors to [[Music Traveler]], together with Billy Joel, Hans Zimmer, John Malkovich, Sean Lennon, Adrien Brody.
==References==
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==External links==
* [http://andrewlitton.com/ Andrew Litton Official Website]
* [http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/about/artists-and-performers/artistic-roster/19-andrew-litton Minnesota Orchestra profile of Andrew Litton] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115222808/http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/about/artists-and-performers/artistic-roster/19-andrew-litton |date=2014-01-15 }}
* [http://www.bruceduffie.com/litton.html Interview with Andrew Litton], August 20, 1993
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{{s-culture}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Rudolf Barshai]]
{{succession box | title=[[Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra|Principal Conductor, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra]] | before=[[Simone Young]] | years=2003–2015 | after=[[Edward Gardner (conductor)|Edward Gardner]]}}▼
| years = 1988–1994
{{succession box | title=[[Colorado Symphony Orchestra|Music Director, Colorado Symphony Orchestra]] | before=[[Jeffrey Kahane]] | years=2013-present | after=incumbent}}▼
| after = [[Yakov Kreizberg]]
}}
{{succession box
| title = [[Dallas Symphony Orchestra|Music Director, Dallas Symphony Orchestra]]
| before = [[Eduardo Mata]]
| years = 1994–2006
| after = [[Jaap van Zweden]]
}}
{{succession box
▲
| before = [[Simone Young]]
| years = 2003–2015
| after = [[Edward Gardner (conductor)|Edward Gardner]]
}}
{{succession box
▲
| before = [[Jeffrey Kahane]]
| years = 2013-2016
| after = [[Brett Mitchell]]
}}
{{succession box
| title = [[New York City Ballet|Music Director, New York City Ballet]]
| before = Andrews Sill (interim music director)
| years = 2015-present
| after = incumbent
}}
{{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Litton, Andrew}}
[[Category:American male conductors (music)]]
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Ethical Culture Fieldston School alumni]]
[[Category:Musicians from Dallas]]
[[Category:Juilliard School alumni]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Classical musicians from Texas]]
[[Category:21st-century American conductors (music)]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]
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