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The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Announces New Music Director
Kraemer will start his new position in July and will have his official introduction on the podium in mid-September.
By: A.A. Cristi Jan. 17, 2023
Formed in 1991, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is the oldest full-time musician-governed and collaboratively-operated orchestra in the United States. After 17 seasons under the musical direction of Carlos Miguel Prieto, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Board of Trustees is introducing renowned conductor Matthew Kraemer as the new Music Director. Kraemer will start his new position in July and will have his official introduction on the podium in mid-September.
"The LPO was searching for a leader to take our talented musicians to new artistic heights and firmly plant roots in our great city, and we found exactly that person in Matthew," said Dr. Bernard Jaffe, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Board President. "He has exquisite musical intelligence and interpretive skills, considerable organizational leadership experience, and all the qualities of a modern Music Director. We look forward to Matthew joining our team this summer."
Kraemer is a native of Indiana and was appointed Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra in 2015. He is a frequent collaborator with Broadway superstar Idina Menzel, serving as conductor for many of her symphony engagements across the United States. Kraemer additionally served as Music Director of the Butler County Symphony in Pennsylvania and Artistic Director of Orchestra Indiana. Increasingly recognized for his committed advocacy of music education and his devotion to young audiences, he serves on the faculty at New England Music Camp, where he conducts the symphony orchestra.
"This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I am incredibly honored to join the musicians of The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra," said Kraemer. "The LPO is part of the cultural fabric of New Orleans and Louisiana, and together we will continue to expand its impact and reach. Also, working with young musicians is incredibly meaningful in my life, and I look forward to creating extraordinary experiences for New Orleans youth and their families. I am grateful for the LPO's trust and cannot wait to explore the riches of this community with my family."
Under Kraemer's leadership, the Buffalo Philharmonic's award-winning education concerts grew exponentially, expanding its reach to over 40 thousand students throughout western New York. Equally at home in the opera pit, his credits include fully-staged productions of "The Magic Flute," "The Barber of Seville," "Madame Butterfly," "La Traviata," "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat," the world premiere of "Happy Birthday Wanda June," "Trouble in Tahiti," and the American professional premiere of Jonathan Dove's "Mansfield Park." Kraemer has also collaborated in ballet productions with Virginia Ballet Theatre, the Ohio Ballet, Dance Kaleidoscope, Neglia Ballet Artists, and Todd Rosenlieb Dance.
"The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra is thrilled to welcome Matthew as our next Music Director," said Anwar Nasir, Executive Director of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. "He quickly rose to the top of our list for his musicianship and intentional spirit of collaboration that has inspired our organization. Matthew honed in wanting to make New Orleans his artistic home. He will bring an energized sense of interpretation to the music that will bring new collaborations, performances, and the LPO to audiences of all ages. We also thank Maestro Prieto and wish him well on his new journey. We look forward to Matthew joining us this summer."
Kraemer will begin his tenure with the philharmonic orchestra during its 33rd season. The 2023-2024 season will feature an array of programming, including the Orpheum Session Orchestral Series, Holiday Concerts, and Family Concert Series. The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will put its musical range on display with works by Beethoven, Ellington, Mozart, Still, Brahms, Gershwin, Wynton Marsalis, Holst, Dvořák, Gabriella Ortiz, and Price.
Kraemer's Upcoming Season Highlights
Thursday, September 14, 2023
Opening Night
Matthew Kraemer, Conductor
Kraemer will open the season with a trio of works to set the stage for what's ahead. A world premiere commission by internationally renowned composer Stacy Garrop will usher in the new era. The remainder of the program will showcase exceptional pieces of the German repertoire, including Hindemith's "Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes" by Carl Maria von Weber and one of Beethoven's most popular orchestral works, Symphony No. 5.
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Holiday Spectacular
Matthew Kraemer, Conductor
The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will kick off the holiday season with "Holiday Spectacular," a live concert on the Orpheum Theater stage for the entire family.
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Classical Christmas: George Handel's Messiah
Matthew Kraemer, Conductor
Handel's glorious "Messiah" will close out the holiday season at the Orpheum Theater featuring the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. The Hallelujah Chorus will cap a performance filled with passion and drama for some of the most inspiring music ever written.
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Birth of A Culture
Matthew Kraemer, Conductor
Big Chief Juan Pardo, Artist
Matthew Kraemer returns to lead an evening of premieres in concert for New Orleans. Big Chief Juan Pardo joins the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra for a world-premiere composition by Maxim Samarov. The piece tells the story of the Mardi Gras Indians and celebrates the unique and remarkable culture found exclusively in New Orleans. The orchestra will also be featured in a new work by Arlene Sierra and a preview of Wynton Marsaslis' "Concerto For Orchestra."
Kraemer graduated from Butler University and the University of Nevada, where he assisted former Cincinnati Symphony Concertmaster Phillip Ruder. An accomplished violinist, Kraemer was a member of the Nightingale String Quartet. When not performing, Kraemer enjoys cooking, running, and reading. He and his wife, Megan, will move to New Orleans with their sons, Gabriel and Nathaniel.
The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra maintains live orchestral music as an integral part of the cultural and educational traditions of the New Orleans area, the entire state of Louisiana, and the Gulf South region. The mission of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra is to transform people and communities through music. From intimate chamber music performances to exhilarating classics and dynamic pop presentations, the musical organization produces a comprehensive spectrum of concert programming that balances an exploratory repertoire with established masterworks.
2023-2024 Orchestral Season
Opening Night - Beethoven Symphony No. 5
Thursday, September 14, 2023
Matthew Kraemer, Conductor
Stacy Garrop: LPO Commission
Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
Prokofiev & Price
Thursday, October 5, 2023
Jonathan Taylor Rush, Conductor
Still: Festive Overture
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 "Classical"
Price: Symphony No. 1
Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Joshua Gersen, Conductor
Ortiz: Kauyumari
Stravinsky: Suite from Pulcinella
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances
Mozart & Prokofiev
Thursday, November 2, 2023
Darko Butorac, Conductor
Virginia McDowell, Oboe
Silvestrov: Evening Serenade
Mozart: Oboe Concerto in C major
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
Porgy & Bess: A Symphonic Picture
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Kellen Gray, Conductor
Perkinson: Worship, a Concert Overture
Gershwin (arr. Bennet): Porgy & Bess: A Symphonic Picture
Bonds: Songs of the Seasons
Still: Symphony No. 1 "Afro-American"
Holiday Spectacular
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Matthew Kraemer, Conductor
Classical Christmas: Handel's Messiah
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Matthew Kraemer, Conductor
Handel: Messiah
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Thomas Wilkins, Conductor
Elia Cecino, Piano
Coleridge-Taylor: Ballade for Orchestra in A minor, Op. 33
Ellington: The River
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15 D minor
Birth of A Culture
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Matthew Kraemer, Conductor
Big Chief Juan Pardo, Artist
Sierra: New Commission
Marsalis: Concerto For Orchestra (Preview)
Samarov: Birth of a Culture
Variations on Peer Gynt & Sibelius No. 5
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Jeri Lynne Johnson, Conductor
Grieg: Peer Gynt Suite (No. 1 & 2)
Ellington/Strayhorn: Selections from Peer Gynt
Sibelius: Symphony No. 5
Holst: The Planets
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Jose Luis Gomez, Conductor
Ives: The Unanswered Question
Coleman: Umoja "Anthem for Unity"
Castellanos: El rio de las siete estrellas
Holst: The Planets
Montgomery, Dvorak, Mendelssohn
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Stephen Mulligan, Conductor
Montgomery: Strum
Dvořák: Czech Suite
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 "Scottish"
Also sprach Zarathustra
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Lidiya Yankovskaya, Conductor
Verdi: Overture to La forza del destino
Foumai: Fullmetal
Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
Packages start at $138
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