2014-15 to be Brett Mitchell's fifth and final season with Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra

Brett Mitchell has announced that the 2014-15 season will be his last as Music Director of the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra. "With my increasingly busy schedule as Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra, Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, and a growing list of guest conducting engagements, the time is right for me to move on to new opportunities and for our audience to experience the fresh perspective of new artistic leadership."
    Since Mitchell began as the SBSO's ninth Music Director in 2010, the orchestra has set record attendance (including the first sell-outs in their 80-year history), pursued dozens of collaborations with local arts organizations and internationally renowned artists, established a special focus on contemporary American music, and founded a new chamber orchestra series.
    For more information, please read this article in the Saginaw News.

BREAKING: Brett Mitchell returns to Cleveland Orchestra podium tonight

Brett Mitchell leads The Cleveland Orchestra in his last-minute subscription debut at Severance Hall on Friday, March 7. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

CLEVELAND — Brett Mitchell will again lead The Cleveland Orchestra on this evening's Severance Hall concert, following his subscription debut last night as a last-minute substitute for music director Franz Welser-Möst. This evening’s repertoire:

SIBELIUS - Lemminkäinen's Return
RACHMANINOFF - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
   Rudolf Buchbinder, piano
RYAN WIGGLESWORTH - Locke’s Theatre (U.S. premiere)
BRITTEN - Spring Symphony
   Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and Children’s Chorus
   Kate Royal, soprano
   Jamie Barton, mezzo-soprano
   John Tessier, tenor

BREAKING: Brett Mitchell to step in at this evening's Cleveland Orchestra concert

CLEVELAND — Brett Mitchell will step in for an ailing Franz Welser-Möst‎ to conduct this evening's Cleveland Orchestra subscription performance with the following program.

RACHMANINOFF - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
   Rudolf Buchbinder, piano
R. STRAUSS - Don Juan
J. STRAUSS Jr. - Aus Den Bergen
J. STRAUSS Jr. - Csárdás‎ from Ritter Pázmán

This program marks Mr. Mitchell's subscription debut with The Cleveland Orchestra.

Brett Mitchell receives Young Alumnus of the Year Award from undergraduate alma mater

Brett Mitchell has been selected to receive the 2014 Young Alumnus of the Year Award from his undergraduate alma mater, Western Washington University, from which he earned a Bachelor of Music in composition in 2001. This award, established in 1980, is the most prestigious honor bestowed on a young alumnus. Mr. Mitchell will return to WWU to accept this award and lead their orchestra in Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 on June 2, 2014. To learn more, please click here.

Debut with The Cleveland Orchestra

AUSTIN — Brett Mitchell will make his debut with The Cleveland Orchestra this Saturday, March 1, leading a sold-out concert on tour at the Long Center in Austin. This marks Mr. Mitchell's first appearance on the podium in Austin since attending The University of Texas from 2001 to 2005.

The Composer is Dead!

In a family concert based on the Lemony Snicket book with music by Nathaniel Stookey, an inspector interrogates the instruments of the orchestra to find out who killed the composer. Brett Mitchell conducts the Cleveland Orchestra with Giancarlo Guerrero as narrator. SOLD OUT!

For more information, please click here.

Blossom Music Festival debut

Brett Mitchell will make his debut at the Blossom Music Festival--The Cleveland Orchestra's summer home--in summer 2014, leading the Kent/Blossom Chamber Orchestra in a program of Wagner and Ravel on Saturday, July 26. Additional information can be found in the complete season announcement.

Winter 2014 newsletter released

The Winter 2014 edition of Brett Mitchell's newsletter has been released. This edition highlights the significant press coverage surrounding Mitchell's Severance Hall debut, including a front-page appearance in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, concert reviews, and in-depth personal profiles. To read (and for the option to subscribe), please click here.

Fall 2013 newsletter released

The Fall 2013 edition of Brett Mitchell's newsletter has been released. This edition highlights his new positions as Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra and Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. To read (and for the option to subscribe), please click here.

Brett Mitchell returns to lead 7th consecutive New Year's Eve gala with Houston Symphony

Brett Mitchell will return to the Houston Symphony as guest conductor for his 7th consecutive New Year's Eve gala performance, held on December 31 at 8 p.m. at The Centrum. For more information or to purchase tickets for this year's event, entitled "Invitation to the Dance," please click the "SCHEDULE" link above.

Broadcast schedule announced for Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra's 2013-14 season

WCLV 104.9 FM has announced that it will broadcast each of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra's 2013-14 subscription concerts twice, including a live broadcast of their season finale on Friday, May 9, 2014. All six broadcasts will be streamed live at WCLV.com. Complete broadcast schedule:

    IN-SEASON BROADCASTS
    Sunday, December 29, 2013 at 4 p.m. (November 2013 concert)
    Sunday, April 20, 2014 at 4 p.m. (March 2014 concert)
    Friday, May 9, 2014 at 8 p.m. (LIVE BROADCAST)

    SUMMER REBROADCASTS
    Saturday, August 9, 2014 at 8 p.m. (November 2013 concert)
    Saturday, August 16, 2014 at 8 p.m. (March 2014 concert)
    Saturday, August 23, 2014 at 8 p.m. (May 2014 concert)

Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra's 2013-14 season announced

The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra has announced its 2013-14 subscription season, Brett Mitchell's first as Music Director. Large repertory works include Mussorgsky/Ravel's Pictures at an Exhibition, Hindemith's Symphony from Mathis der Maler, and Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique. The season will also feature collaborations with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus on John Corigliano's Fern Hill and Mendelssohn's Hymn, Op. 96, as well as contemporary fare from Michael Torke and Wojciech Kilar. Works of Shostakovich, Stravinsky, and Beethoven round out the season. For complete information, please click the SCHEDULE link above.

Brett Mitchell to remain with Saginaw while taking on Cleveland

Brett Mitchell will continue as Music Director of the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra when his term as Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra commences in September 2013. His current contract in Saginaw runs through June 2016. (For further details, please visit this article in today's "Saginaw News".) Mr. Mitchell, who will also become Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra this fall, will resign his other current post as Music Director of the Moores Opera Center at the close of the 2012-13 season.

Cleveland Orchestra press release: "Brett Mitchell announced as new Assistant Conductor"

The Cleveland Orchestra has issued a press release announcing the appointment of Brett Mitchell as assistant conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra and music director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. To read this release, please click here.

"Cleveland Orchestra appoints Brett Mitchell assistant conductor"

The Cleveland Plain Dealer has published an article about Brett Mitchell's appointment as assistant conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra and music director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. To read this article, please click here.

Brett Mitchell appointed Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Orchestra announced today the appointment of Brett Mitchell as Assistant Conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra and Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. The appointment is for a two-year term. Appointed by Franz Welser-Möst, Mr. Mitchell joins the Orchestra’s conducting staff in September, at the beginning of the 2013-14 season at Severance Hall. 

As Assistant Conductor, Brett Mitchell will serve as cover conductor for Severance Hall and Blossom Music Festival subscription concerts, and provide assistance to Music Director Franz Welser-Möst. As Assistant Conductor, he will hold the Elizabeth Ring and William Gwinn Mather Chair.  

As Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, Brett Mitchell will participate in artistic planning, select personnel for the ensemble, and conduct rehearsals and performances of the Youth Orchestra. The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, currently in its 27th season, is a full, 100-member symphony orchestra of middle- and high-school-aged musicians from northern and central Ohio and western Pennsylvania who are coached by musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra. Founded in 1986, the Youth Orchestra provides talented young musicians with a pre-professional orchestra training experience of the highest artistic standard. The Youth Orchestra performs three concerts in Severance Hall each season, as well as three orchestra concerts in the community and several performances by its chamber groups throughout the region.

For complete details, please see this article in The Plain Dealer: "Cleveland Orchestra appoints Brett Mitchell assistant conductor".

"Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra extends music director’s contract"

The Township View has published an article detailing Brett Mitchell's three-year contract extension as Music Director of the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra. To read this article, please click here.

Contract extension with the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra

Brett Mitchell leads the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra in performance at the Temple Theatre. (Photo by Deborah Besanson)

SAGINAW — The Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra has extended Brett Mitchell's initial contract as music director for an additional three seasons, taking their collaboration through the 2015-16 season.

Mitchell has been music director of the SBSO since July 2010.

For more on this story, please click here.

"SBSO conductor Brett Mitchell signs on for three more years"

The Saginaw News has published an article detailing Brett Mitchell's three-year contract extension as Music Director of the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra. To read this article, please click here.

Return engagement with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra

Brett Mitchell will return to guest conduct the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra on their 2012-13 holiday family concert on Sunday, December 9, 2012. For more information, or to purchase tickets for this event, please click the "SCHEDULE" link above.

Brett Mitchell advances to semifinal round of Solti Conductors' Competition

Out of more than 400 applicants and 22 first-round competitors, Brett Mitchell has been selected as one of only 10 conductors to participate in the semifinal round of the 6th International Conductors' Competition Sir Georg Solti. This semifinal round will take place on September 19 and 20, 2012, with The Frankfurt Radio Symphony.