Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Promotes Daniel Brier to Post of Resident Conductor

    KALAMAZOO, MI, August 19, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors and management is pleased to announce the promotion of Daniel Brier as its Resident Conductor. Daniel Brier was appointed Assistant Conductor of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra in 2014 following a national search. Mr. Brier has since been instrumental in continuing the development of the KSO's educational programming. He has conducted its Family Discovery Series concerts, among other concerts, while serving as the cover conductor for KSO's Symphonic Series and assisting Music Director, Raymond Harvey.

Raymond Harvey, Music Director of the KSO stated, "I knew from the moment Daniel was hired that we had made an excellent choice. In addition to being a fine conductor, he has proven to be a terrific communicator to audiences both young and old. Daniel continues to present creative programs, write scholarly program notes, and ably assist me in rehearsals. The fact that he has become part of the Kalamazoo community in such a short time makes him the ideal Resident Conductor. I'm delighted to have him on the team."

Daniel Brier said, "I am thrilled to continue my work with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra in this expanded role. Working with all of my colleagues on stage and behind the scenes brings me great joy. It is a great honor to continue serving this special orchestra and community."

Daniel Brier's new position will give him the opportunity to further develop his talent while working with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, as well as within the community. Mr. Brier will continue to play an instrumental role in achieving the goals of the organization's strategic plan as the KSO plans its 100th anniversary concert season in 2020-2021.

Daniel Brier, Resident Conductor, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Brier is an emerging conductor who has worked with orchestras and choirs in the United States and abroad. He has conducted the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic, Royal Oak Symphony, Detroit Medical Orchestra, Great Lakes Music Festival, Orion Chamber Music Society, University of Michigan Symphony and Philharmonia Orchestras, University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, Ann Arbor Cantata Singers, Spectrum Orchestra, and the Orpheus Singers. He is currently in his third season as Music Director of the Spectrum Orchestra. An advocate for new music, Mr. Brier regularly collaborates with living composers and displays a commitment to promoting and performing their music. Recent premieres include Shin's Power and Light, Lavender's Battery, Boggs' Wanderlust: Beginnings and May's Essay for Chamber Orchestra. At home on the stage and in the pit, Mr. Brier recently conducted Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro in a semi-staged concert production.

Previous conducting positions include assistant and cover conductor for the Lexington Philharmonic, assistant conductor of the University of Michigan Orchestras, assistant conductor of the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theater, and conductor of the Orpheus Singers. In 2010, Mr. Brier was selected as a Prizewinner for this "exceptional conducting" during the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic's international conducting masterclass and competition. He studied with John Nelson during his engagement with the Orchestre de chambre de Paris and Munchener Bach-Chor. Additionally he has conducted in masterclasses with Giancarlo Guerrero, Hugh Wolff, Jorma Panula, Alexander Polishchuk, Victor Yampolsky, Carl Topilow, and Ragnar Bohlin.

Mr. Brier recently completed his graduate studies as a fellow at the University of Michigan's conducting program where he studied orchestral conducting with Kenneth Kielser. He is also a recipient of the Julian and Vera McIntosh scholarship for promising young musicians and conductors. Previously, Mr. Brier earned a M.M. in Choral Conducting from the University of Michigan under the mentorship of Dr. Jerry Blackstone. During his choral degree, Mr. Brier was a graduate student instructor and recipient of the Dr. Charlene Archibeque and Dorothy Greenwald scholarships.

Visit www.kalamazoosymphony.com for up-to-date information, details and schedules. Prices, artists, dates, time and program are subject to change without notice.

The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra receives major support from the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra also receives generous support from other local, state and national foundations, as well as private and corporate support. For more information, visit www.kalamazoosymphony.com.

About the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1921, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is Southwest Michigan's premier musical organization, providing musical enrichment to over 80,000 adults and youth per year. The third-largest professional orchestra in the state, the KSO has won numerous awards and grants, including the Met Life Award for Arts Access in Underserved Communities, the National Endowment for the Arts for its extensive education programs, and a major Ford Foundation grant to found its innovative Artist-in-Residence program.

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