2015 Orchestra Honors Project
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Gary Lewis
Gary Lewis is Director of Orchestral Studies and Professor of Music in the College of Music at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is also the Music Director and Conductor of the Midland-Odessa (TX) Symphony Orchestra. At Colorado Mr. Lewis conducts the University Symphony Orchestra and oversees the entire orchestra program. He also leads the graduate program in orchestral conducting including both the masters and doctoral level. His graduate conducting students have enjoyed great success as conductors of university orchestra programs, youth orchestras, and professional orchestras alike. They have also won prestigious national conducting competitions and been awarded Fulbright grants.
Lewis received the Master of Music degree in conducting from Texas Tech University and the Bachelor of Music Education degree from The University of Oklahoma. His post-graduate work includes participation in the Pierre Monteux School for Orchestral Conductors and the Tanglewood Conducting Seminar. He has served on the faculties of Texas Tech University, The Ohio State University, The University of Michigan, and Abilene Christian University.
Mr. Lewis is equally at home with professional, university, and youth ensembles. In addition to his regular position with the Midland-Odessa Symphony Orchestra, he has conducted performances with the Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra, the New Symphony Orchestra (Sofia, Bulgaria), the Western Plains Opera Theater, and the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. Lewis served as the Resident Conductor of the Pine Mountain Music Festival (opera and symphonic) for seven years and was the founding conductor of the Caprock Pro Musica.
He has frequently worked with university ensembles, conducting performances and leading master classes with such prestigious programs as the Eastman School of Music, Florida State University, Oberlin Conservatory, the University of Texas, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of North Texas.
As a strong advocate of music education, Mr. Lewis has presented many in-service workshops for public school educators, as well as numerous presentations at state and regional music education association conferences. In addition, he continues to conduct All-State Orchestras, and other regional and honor ensembles throughout the country including a regular presence at the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp.
Mr. Lewis is a strong proponent of new music. He has been instrumental in the development and production of contemporary music festivals and his interest in new music has led him to collaborations with composers such as George Crumb, William Bolcom, John Harbison, Chen Yi, Michael Daugherty, Stephen Paulus, and many others.
The Dallas Festival of Modern Music thanks Mr. Lewis for his role as artistic advisor for the festival.