Brett Mitchell named finalist for Peoria Symphony music directorship

Brett Mitchell has been named one of seven finalists to become the next music director of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Mitchell will lead a subscription concert with the orchestra in April 2010 featuring music of Torke, Prokofiev, and Beethoven. For more information, please click here.

BREAKING: Brett Mitchell to step in at tonight's Houston Symphony concert

HOUSTON — Brett Mitchell will step in to conduct this evening's Houston Symphony subscription concert; guest conductor Thomas Dausgaard has withdrawn due to illness. Mitchell will lead the following unchanged program.

NIELSEN - Prelude to Act II from Saul and David
JOHN ADAMS - Violin Concerto
   Leila Josefowicz, violin
BRAHMS - Symphony No. 1

This program marks Mitchell’s second subscription appearances this season following his all-Shostakovich performances in November 2008.

Brett Mitchell promoted to Assistant Conductor of the Houston Symphony

Brett Mitchell leads the Houston Symphony at Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow)

HOUSTON — Having served as American Conducting Fellow of the Houston Symphony for the 2007-08 season, Brett Mitchell has been promoted to Assistant Conductor, effective immediately.

Brett Mitchell named American Conducting Fellow of the Houston Symphony

HOUSTON — Brett Mitchell has been named American Conducting Fellow of the Houston Symphony, beginning September 2007.

This fellowship, spearheaded by the American Symphony Orchestra League, "assists in the development of exceptional conductors in the early stages of their careers, seeking to improve their qualifications to become music directors of American orchestras."

Brett Mitchell named Assistant Conductor of the Orchestre National de France

PARIS — The Orchestre National de France and its music director Kurt Masur have announced that Brett Mitchell has been appointed the ensemble’s newest Assistant Conductor.

Mr, Mitchell will continue in his position as Director of Orchestras, Opera Music Director, and Professor of Conducting at Northern Illinois University while commuting between Chicago and Paris to fulfill both these appointments.

More from the Daily Chronicle:

NIU School of Music professor of conducting will help lead Orchestre National de France

Brett Mitchell, a first-year assistant professor of conducting in the Northern Illinois University School of Music, this year will experience Paris in June.

And August. And December. And maybe May.

Mitchell has been selected as the assistant conductor of the Orchestre National de France. He will make at least half a dozen trips a year to Paris to assist and cover for Maestro Kurt Masur in a role that eventually could expand to conducting the orchestra during educational and outreach performances.

The Seattle native learned of his success immediately after his audition, which took place in the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. The concert hall was the site of the world premiere of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring,” a work so avant-garde it caused riots in the audience.

“I was thrilled, obviously, and stunned. You get so used to rejection after a while — you’re ready for it, you’re prepared for it — I just remember when I heard my name,” Mitchell said. “The orchestra is just phenomenal, not only in their technical prowess, but they play with so much heart. They are never hesitant to dig in, and I love it.” 

His opportunities in Paris, where he will meet, observe and work alongside some of the world’s greatest conductors, will benefit his students in DeKalb as well as audiences for Philharmonic and Opera Workshop performances.

“Spending so much time with these great musicians can’t help but affect my work here,” he said. “How could it not influence what I do?”

Mitchell’s road to Paris began in New York by way of Austin, where he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees at The University of Texas.

Masur, who conducted the New York Philharmonic during the 1990s, returned in 2004 to lead a master-class for young conductors. Five of the 100 applicants — Mitchell included — made the cut.