Preview: "Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra to premiere Briggs' 'Fountain of Youth'"

From Cleveland Classical:

The first in a series of articles highlighting the world premiere of Roger Briggs’ Fountain of Youth.

The prospect of performing a newly-composed work is always exciting. On Friday, November 18 at 8:00 pm at Severance Hall, the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) under the direction of Brett Mitchell will have that opportunity when they present the world premiere of Roger Briggs’ Fountain of Youth, commissioned by COYO. The program will also include Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4 (“Romantic”).

Premiering Briggs’ eighteen-minute tone poem is especially exciting for Brett Mitchell. “It’s impossible to overestimate the impact Roger Briggs had on me,” the conductor said during a telephone conversation. “If it weren’t for the opportunities he provided me, I wouldn’t be here now.”

Mitchell first met Briggs twenty years ago when pursuing his undergraduate degree in composition at Western Washington University, where Briggs was the head of the department as well as director of orchestras. “Roger was my primary composition teacher,” Mitchell said. “I also studied conducting with him and found my way onto the podium more and more as the years went by.”

Mitchell also credits Briggs for encouraging him to continue embracing his love of jazz. “When Roger talked about harmony, he was just as likely to point to recordings by McCoy Tyner as he was to textbooks by Schoenberg and Persichetti. The breadth of his musical knowledge inspired me to not narrow my focus only to classical music.”

The idea to commission Briggs to write a piece for COYO originated after Mitchell sent out an email announcing that his contract with The Cleveland Orchestra had been extended and he would be promoted to associate conductor. Briggs responded with his congratulations, adding that someday he hoped to be able to write a piece for one of Mitchell’s orchestras. “I thought, why wait for someday?” Mitchell recalled. “It would be so special to have my teacher from when I was in my late teens write a piece for me to play with my 17- and 18-year-olds.”

Before getting into rehearsals, Mitchell told his players about Briggs and his music. He noted that one challenge was teaching the young musicians a new musical language. “At the first rehearsal I emphasized that the opportunity to perform a world premiere is rare, but what was about to happen was even more magical — this would be the first time any group of musicians had ever played these notes. We had to make a few stops along the way to pick up the luggage that fell out of the station wagon, but we did get through the whole piece at that rehearsal.”

How does the conductor prepare to rehearse a piece of music that has never been seen or heard before? He opens the score and looks at the first page for a few seconds, taking it in with a wide-angle lens. Then he repeats that process until he has been through the entire score. “I want to be sure that I have the overall picture of the piece, because my job is to communicate the essence of it to the musicians and to the audience. And if I’m wrapped up in every little detail from bar one to the end, I won’t be able to see the forest for the trees.”

Mitchell gave some specifics about his experience learning the Briggs. “The first page of the score is marked ‘energetic with great precision,’ and I saw a lot of activity all over the page with changing meters — the strings playing here, and the brass and winds playing there. I noticed how that develops, where it gets smaller, and where it gets thicker. Rehearsal number 22 seems to be a climax, and at number 23 there is a shift into a different texture.”

Mitchell is often asked if it is difficult to conduct a world premiere as there is no recording of the piece. But he said the process is no different from preparing to conduct any piece of music for the first time. “Besides, if you only know a piece of music through a recording, then you don’t actually know the piece, you know somebody’s interpretation of that piece.”

Mitchell and the COYO musicians are having a great time learning Fountain of Youth. “The players are really engaged in the process — they’re asking questions and pointing out inconsistencies. I’ve been communicating with Roger and giving him progress reports. It’s going to be wonderful to get his thoughts when he hears it. But he trusts the process and knows that his baby is safe in our hands.”

To read the complete article, please click here.

Preview: "Cleveland Orchestra Playing Concert at Beachwood High School"

Brett Mitchell leads The Cleveland Orchestra in performance at Severance Hall. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

The Beachwood Patch has published a preview of Brett Mitchell's upcoming concert with The Cleveland Orchestra:

The Cleveland Orchestra will commemorate the grand opening of the new Beachwood High School auditorium with a free community concert on Nov. 5. Tickets for the concert are already sold out, but interested attendees can join a waiting list for seats that come open.

Concert tickets opened to the public on Oct. 13 and were sold out in less than 90 minutes. Luckily, the concert will begin at 7 p.m. but anyone who isn't in their seat by 6:40 p.m. may have their seat given to someone on the waiting list.

Additionally, the school has repeatedly said they anticipate more seats becoming available as the date of the concert approaches.

Following a musical 'showcase' from the Beachwood High School Orchestra, Band and Choir, The Cleveland Orchestra will take the stage to present a concert that will include Beethoven's Overture to The Consecration of the House, his Lenore Overture No. 3 and more. The concert will conclude with a "side by side" performance where The Cleveland Orchestra will be joined by Beachwood student musicians performing an excerpt from Ravel's Bolero. 

To read the complete article, please click here.

Preview: "Eight (yes, eight) classical concerts not to miss this busy fall week in Northeast Ohio"

Associate conductor Brett Mitchell leads the Cleveland Orchestra this Sunday afternoon at Severance Hall in a special program celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Foundation. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) has published a preview of Brett Mitchell's concert this weekend with The Cleveland Orchestra:

In addition to its regular subscription program, the Cleveland Orchestra this Sunday also will headline the Rotary Centennial Celebration, a public concert at Severance Hall in honor of Rotary International, the worldwide organization founded by Clevelander and musician Arch Klumph with the intent of eradicating polio. The concert, led by associate conductor Brett Mitchell, features works by Beethoven, Debussy, Chabrier, Liszt, and John Williams. A private benefit dinner follows. (3 p.m., trf100.com)

To read the complete article, please click here.

Preview: "Enter the Fortissimo of Solitude at superhero-themed Cleveland Orchestra concert"

Brett Mitchell will lead The Cleveland Orchestra in works of John Williams and Michael Daugherty to celebrate Cleveland's heritage as the birthplace of Superman.

CoolCleveland has published a preview of Brett Mitchell's upcoming concert with The Cleveland Orchestra featuring the music of Superman, including works by John Williams and Michael Daugherty:

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s more jobs leaving the area! No, it’s the Cleveland Orchestra’s annual kiddie offering for Halloween.

The Halloween Spooktacular: Superman at the Symphony happens in a Severance Hall open to youngsters in costume (there will be contest judging). Superman and Supergirl are the themes (so Batman probably broods somewhere, as usual). John Williams’ music from the Hollywood adaptations will be played by the Cleveland Orchestra under mild-mannered conductor Brett Mitchell, along with projected Man of Steel imagery.

To read the complete article, please click here.

Preview: "BBHHS to host a Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra Performance"

Music Director Brett Mitchell leads the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra in performance at Severance Hall. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) has published a preview of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra's upcoming run-out performance, led by music director Brett Mitchell:

The Brecksville Kiwanis Club and the Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School Orchestra will be hosting the extraordinarily talented Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) on Monday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School Auditorium to kick off their 31st season. This very special performance is one of only two that will be performed outside of their Severance Hall home. The evening will feature Bruckner's Symphony No. 4 and the world premiere of Roger Briggs's Fountain of Youth, which was commissioned by the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra.

Director Brett Mitchell states, "It's going to be a landmark season for us at COYO, and I can't wait for our audiences to hear these one hundred extraordinary young musicians in action!"

To read the complete article, please click here.

Preview: "Live Broadcast: Hear the Colorado Symphony welcome its next Music Director to Denver"

Brett Mitchell leads the Colorado Symphony in his first rehearsal as Music Director Designate on Wednesday, October 12. (Photo by Stephanie Derybowski)

CPR Classical has published a preview about their broadcast of Brett Mitchell's debut this weekend as Music Director Designate of the Colorado Symphony:

This Friday, CPR Classical presents a live broadcast of the Colorado Symphony featuring conductor Brett Mitchell, the orchestra's next music director.

The concert will also mark the premiere of a new violin concerto written by Colorado composer Daniel Kellogg. Violinist and Colorado Symphony concertmaster Yumi Hwang-Williams is the featured soloist. Kellogg's works have been performed by the National Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, and contemporary ensemble eighth blackbird.

Hear the concert live from Boettcher Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Friday. David Rutherford, who explores Colorado's classical music scene each weeknight on CPR Classical, will host. The program:

Beethoven: Overture to "King Stephen"
Kellogg: "Rising Phoenix" 
Dvorák: Symphony No. 8 in G major

Check out our recent interview with Mitchell, conducted shortly after the orchestra announced his appointment in September. He talked about why he's thrilled to be the orchestra's next music director and the lessons he learned as associate conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra.

To read the complete article, please click here. To hear the live broadcast on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Mountain, please click here.

Video: "Colorado Symphony new music director"

Brett Mitchell speaks with anchor Corey Rose on the set of 9NEWS in Denver. (Photo by Rachel Trignano)

Brett Mitchell appeared this morning on NBC's Denver affiliate (9NEWS) to discuss his upcoming tenure as Music Director of the Colorado Symphony and his first concerts as Music Director Designate this weekend. To watch this interview, please click here.

Preview: "A super preview of 'Superman at the Symphony' with conductor Brett Mitchell"

Brett Mitchell is featured in the current episode of Comic Book Central, discussing John Williams's score for Superman in advance of his performance of selections from the score with The Cleveland Orchestra on Sunday, October 30 at Severance Hall.

To listen to or download this episode, please click here. For more information about this performance, please click here.

Preview: "Beachwood High School to Celebrate Opening of Auditorium with Concert by The Cleveland Orchestra"

Brett Mitchell will lead The Cleveland Orchestra in a performance to dedicate Beachwood High School's newly renovated auditorium on Saturday, November 5. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

Broadway World has published an article previewing one of Brett Mitchell's upcoming performances with The Cleveland Orchestra, featuring works of Williams, Beethoven, Daugherty, and Ravel: 

On Saturday evening, November 5, 2016, The Cleveland Orchestra will join with Beachwood High School to dedicate the school's newly renovated auditorium and celebrate the school system's outstanding music education programs.

The evening begins at 7:00 p.m. with members of the Beachwood High School Orchestra, Band, and Chorus performing as part of a music education showcase. Immediately following the student showcase, The Cleveland Orchestra will take the stage to perform a concert that will include Beethoven's Overture to The Consecration of the House, his Leonore Overture No. 3, and more. The concert will conclude with a "side-by-side" performance of an excerpt from Ravel's Bolero, for which The Cleveland Orchestra will be joined by Beachwood student musicians. 

Prior to the November 5 concert, Cleveland Orchestra musicians...will participate in masterclasses and coachings with Beachwood school music ensembles. Additionally, Cleveland Orchestra Associate Conductor Brett Mitchell will rehearse with the Beachwood High School Orchestra conducted by Lisa Goldman and the Beachwood High School Band conducted by David Luddington.

To read the complete article, please click here.

CPR Classical to livestream Brett Mitchell's debut as Music Director Designate of the Colorado Symphony

Colorado Public Radio Classical has announced that it will present a live broadcast of Brett Mitchell's first concert as Music Director Designate of the Colorado Symphony. The concert takes place on Friday, October 14 at 7:30 p.m. Mountain at the orchestra's home of Boettcher Concert Hall in downtown Denver, and may be streamed live from anywhere in the world on CPRClassical.org. The program includes Beethoven's Overture from King Stephen; the world premiere of Colorado composer Daniel Kellogg's Rising Phoenix, a violin concerto written for the orchestra and its concertmaster, Yumi Hwang-Wililams; and Dvorák's Symphony No. 8. More information about the program may be found here.

CPR Classical has also announced that it will rebroadcast Brett Mitchell's first concert with the Colorado Symphony—given at Boettcher Concert Hall in July 2016—four times this week (all times Mountain):

• Thursday, October 6 at 1 and 7 p.m.
• Saturday, October 8 at 12 p.m.
• Sunday, October 9 at 1 p.m.

To listen to these broadcasts live from anywhere in the world, please visit CPRClassical.org.

Preview: "Ross Binnie talks about The Cleveland Orchestra's fall season"

Brett Mitchell will lead The Cleveland Orchestra and Pennsylvania Ballet in seven performances of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker this fall, one of many projects he will lead during his fourth and final season with the orchestra. (Photo by Alexander Iziliaev of Pennsylvania Ballet)

Cleveland Classical has published a conversation with Ross Binnie, Chief Marketing Officer of The Cleveland Orchestra, previewing the ensemble's upcoming fall season, including a number of programs led by Associate Conductor Brett Mitchell during his fourth and final season with the orchestra.

On Sunday, October 30 at 3:00 pm, Brett Mitchell will lead the Orchestra in the annual Holiday Spooktacular. The program, titled “Superman at the Symphony,” features music from John Williams’s score for the movie Superman and Michael Daugherty’s Metropolis Symphony, accompanied by classic images of the Man of Steel. “This is one of our big traditions of the year. The Orchestra takes the dressing-up part very seriously, and all the kids and families come in costume. It’s always fun.”

The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra will present their season opener on November 18 at 8:00 pm. Brett Mitchell will lead performances of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4 and the world premiere of Roger Briggs’ Fountain of Youth, which was commissioned by the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. “This is an ambitious start to their season, but it’s terrific for Brett and the orchestra to have a world premiere and the Bruckner to begin the year.

The Orchestra’s 2016 holiday offerings begin with George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker with Pennsylvania Ballet, Angel Corella artistic director. Brett Mitchell will lead The Cleveland Orchestra in performances at the State Theater, Playhouse Square from November 30 through December 4. “Who doesn’t love The Nutcracker?” Binnie said. “There are seven performances including a Friday matinee. This is our first time presenting it with the Pennsylvania Ballet, which will be exciting all around.”

It’s movie time on December 8 and 9 when Brett Mitchell leads The Cleveland Orchestra and Youth Chorus in Dimitri Tiomkin’s score to Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life. “I think it’s absolutely amazing how precise and how wrapped up in the story the orchestra has to be. You realize just how great this music is when you hear it performed live: I never think I’ve heard the soundtracks to movies properly until I hear them performed by this Orchestra. Between this movie and the music, it’s going to be stunning.”

To read the complete article, please click here.

Previews: "Cleveland Orchestra pushes in fresh directions"

Associate conductor Brett Mitchell and concertmaster William Preucil will give the first Cleveland Orchestra performances this season of the Violin Concerto No. 3 by Augusta Read Thomas, pictured here. (Photo by Anthony Barlich)

The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) has published several previews of The Cleveland Orchestra's 2016-17 season, which features a number of programs to be led by Associate Conductor Brett Mitchell in his final year with the orchestra.

The first preview, titled "Cleveland Orchestra pushes in fresh directions," contains the following listings:

7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 2, and 8 p.m. Saturday, March 4
Bernstein: Symphonic Suite from "On the Waterfront"
Thomas: Violin Concerto No. 3
Copland: Symphony No. 3
Artists: Brett Mitchell, conductor; William Preucil, violin
Notes: Associate conductor Brett Mitchell, music director designate of the Colorado Symphony, presides over an all-American program featuring the Severance premieres of Bernstein's "On the Waterfront" and the "Juggler in Paradise" concerto by Augusta Read Thomas, performed by concertmaster Preucil.

7 p.m. Friday, March 3; "Fridays@7"
Thomas: Violin Concerto No. 3
Copland: Symphony No. 3
Artists: Mitchell, conductor; Preucil, violin
Notes: This Friday-night crowd gets a panoramic view of American music, as interpreted by associate conductor Mitchell: Copland's grand Symphony No. 3 alongside the "Juggler in Paradise" concerto by Augusta Read Thomas, performed by concertmaster Preucil.

7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, June 1-3; and 3 p.m. Sunday, June 4
Bernstein: "West Side Story" (film with live accompaniment)
Artist: Mitchell, conductor
Notes: Outgoing associate conductor Mitchell (music director designate of the Colorado Symphony) concludes the season, and gives one heck of a farewell, with one last film accompanied live by the orchestra. This time, though, the composer is a household name: Leonard Bernstein.

The second preview, titled "Cleveland Orchestra welcomes holidays, families," focuses on other programs Mr. Mitchell will lead at Severance Hall and beyond during the 2016-17 season, including a production of George Ballanchine's The Nutcracker with Pennsylvania Ballet, family and holiday programs, film projects, and the complete season of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra.

Brett Mitchell presides over the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra for the 2016-17 season, the last of his tenure at Severance Hall. (Photo by Thomas Ondrey for The Plain Dealer)

Audio: "Brett Mitchell on becoming the Colorado Symphony's next Music Director"

Brett Mitchell, who will become music director of the Colorado Symphony in 2017, leading the Cleveland Orchestra in concert. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

Brett Mitchell has given an extensive interview to Colorado Public Radio about his recent appointment as Music Director of the Colorado Symphony:

Conductor Brett Mitchell is the next music director of the Colorado Symphony. The orchestra announced on Sept. 12 that the 37-year-old conductor will take over in 2017 -- though he’ll lead five concerts at Boettcher Concert Hall this season.

Mitchell, who’s currently associate conductor with the Cleveland Orchestra, spoke with CPR Classical’s David Rutherford just two days after the big announcement. He talked about what he’s learned from working with the Cleveland Orchestra, what he hopes to accomplish in his first concerts with the Colorado Symphony and what he remembers about his first conducting gig.

To hear the complete interview, please click here.

Brett Mitchell joins the roster of CM Artists New York

Brett Mitchell has joined the roster of CM Artists New York, where he will be represented by Linda Marder. For more information, please see Mr. Mitchell's page on the CM Artists website.

"Brett Mitchell to take the helm of the Colorado Symphony"

(Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

Cleveland Classical has published an article about Brett Mitchell's recent appointment as Music Director of the Colorado Symphony:

The Colorado Symphony announced on September 12 that Brett Mitchell has been appointed music director designate for the 2016-2017 season, and will assume the post of music director in July 2017. “It’s a great opportunity to be the Music Director of a great orchestra in a great city,” Mitchell said during a recent telephone conversation. “I don’t know how you could ask for more than that.”

The Colorado Symphony will give Mitchell a year to get to know his new colleagues in Denver — both the administration and musicians. “One of the extraordinary things about the appointment is the timeline that we have been able to develop,” Mitchell said.  “Ordinarily the announcement would be made, then the next season you’d be named the music director designate, and become music director the following season — so that would add up to two years. In this case we’re only a year away from the full appointment.”

In order to introduce Mitchell to Denver audiences, the Symphony has created a “Meet Brett Mitchell” subscription series. “The best part is that while I’m getting to work with the staff, I’m also going to conduct five weeks with the orchestra this season. To be welcomed like that is wonderful, and everybody has gone above and beyond to make this happen. The Colorado Symphony and The Cleveland Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra have been absolutely perfect in working through all of this with me to make sure that I can spend as much time as possible in Colorado. By the time we get down to business in September 2017, I think we’re already going to be old friends and will be able to hit the ground running.”

Brett Mitchell joins the Denver-based orchestra at a pivotal moment in its history. Thanks to a new management team and board headed up by Co-Chair and CEO Jerome H. Kern, and with the help of members of the orchestra, the Colorado Symphony now has an expanded concert schedule, new performing opportunities and new financial commitments from corporations and foundations.

“I’m coming into a supremely healthy organization. The nice thing about turning over a new leaf is that the orchestra will have a new artistic leader who will be bringing a completely fresh perspective to the job. The only Colorado Symphony that I know is the one that #1, sounds amazing, #2, is well managed and well run. A lot of the credit for that goes to Jerry Kern and his wife Mary, who have been real miracle workers for that orchestra, and by extension, for that city.”

Because his appointment was made over the summer, Mitchell has been an integral part of the planning process for 2017-2018. “We’ve been going fast and furious with planning the season. It will really be my season and represent my vision for the orchestra,” Mitchell said....

Dividing his time between two cities means that Mitchell’s schedule for this coming year is going to be even busier than usual. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said. “To get to be with all three of these orchestras in one season is amazing. I’m so grateful for the opportunity.”

To read the complete article, please click here.

"As season opens, Colorado Symphony's next music director looks ahead"

Brett Mitchell is the new Music Director of the Colorado Symphony. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

The Denver Business Journal has published an extensive interview with Brett Mitchell about his recent appointment as Music Director of the Colorado Symphony:

DBJ: Why did you decide to join the Colorado Symphony? What was attractive about the orchestra that led you to take this position? Was it the talent of the musicians? The management? The community? All of the above?

Mitchell: There are so many reasons this marriage between the Colorado Symphony and me seems to be such a perfect fit, but the biggest is that our respective visions for the future of orchestras are one and the same. Once I read the mission statement, I knew that I had finally found my ideal match, as we've both spent decades crafting programs that feature that wonderful, compelling blend of music, "...from the best of the past to the edge of the future."

Knowing that we're starting on the same page, pursuing the same goals, and sharing a common purpose gives us a huge advantage.

In my experience, the most reliable predictor of a successful relationship between an orchestra and a conductor is the chemistry they have in rehearsal and performance. Not every conductor gels with every orchestra, no matter how great each might be. That's why it was so special when I stood in front of the Colorado Symphony musicians for the first time, because it was instantly clear that there was something special going on, right from the first downbeat.

Getting to work with these amazing musicians week in, week out will be an absolute treat, and I'm so looking forward to developing and deepening our relationship over the coming seasons.

I should also say, as a Seattle native, that coming back out west after living for 15 years in the Midwest and Texas will be a real pleasure. I've loved everywhere I've lived, but coming to a city that feels more like what I grew up with is such a wonderful feeling.

My wife Angela and I are so looking forward to making our home there, and taking advantage of all the amazing opportunities to hike, bike, and spend time exploring all the amazing outdoor opportunities living in Denver will afford us.

DBJ: The Colorado Symphony has tried very hard to broaden the traditional audience for classical music in recent years with some success and, with much broader corporate support than it had before, is beginning the year with a surplus for the first time in it's history. What do you make of those efforts?

Mitchell: I couldn't be more pleased with where the Colorado Symphony is in terms of both its audience development and its fiscal situation. My mom worked in health care finance for her entire career, so I definitely understand how important a sound fiscal outlook is to the health of any organization, whether in the arts or otherwise. The Colorado Symphony has taken enormous steps toward ensuring it's on the firmest financial footing possible, and I'm looking forward to contributing to those continuing efforts.

In terms of reaching out to as broad an audience as possible, the Colorado Symphony really is an industry leader, which should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the diverse array of performances we offer each season. I couldn't be prouder to help lead an organization that makes such a consistent, concerted effort to reach as many of our friends and neighbors as possible, both longtime classical series subscribers and first-time single ticket buyers.

DBJ: What are some of the challenges you think lie ahead for the orchestra?

Mitchell: Like every arts organization, we're going to keep dreaming up deeper, more meaningful ways to engage younger audiences. There's a ton of competition out there in 2016 for the public's attention, with streaming video and instant access to entertainment and social media around every corner. We're proactive about reaching new audiences at the Colorado Symphony, and that means creating innovative, cutting-edge, compelling programs that will draw both traditional and new audiences to join us in Boettcher or on the road.

DBJ: Tell me why you think it's important for Denver and other cities to have a professional orchestra.

Mitchell: With each passing year, there seems to be more and more that fills our days and fewer opportunities to take time for ourselves. I certainly don't claim to know the meaning of life, but I do know that my life is enriched when I surround myself with beauty, and that's exactly what a professional orchestra brings to its community.

The chance to slow down, to unplug, to take in a brilliant piece of music, to appreciate beauty for beauty's sake, to remember that we're all a part of something larger than ourselves — all these things lead to happier, more fulfilled, and more engaged citizens, and are some of the many reasons it's crucial for any strong community to have an equally strong orchestra.

To read the complete article, please click here.

"Colorado Symphony targeting younger audiences with new music director"

(Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

The Denver Post has published an article about Brett Mitchell's appointment as Music Director of the Colorado Symphony:

Nothing underscores the Colorado Symphony Orchestra’s current approach to the business of making music more clearly than the appointment of Brett Mitchell as its new music director.

The orchestra is aggressively targeting younger audiences who like their classical infused with significant doses of pop. At 37 years old, and with an open mind toward the kind of fare that counts as symphonic, Mitchell fits right in.

The new hire is a considerable departure from the CSO’s past practices. Mitchell’s predecessor, Andrew Litton, is two nearly decades older and arrived four years ago with great fanfare and a detailed résumé, full of lead appointments and conducting jobs at major orchestras around the world. He was well established in the industry and had good connections with top-tier musicians and recording label executives.

Mitchell is coming in from Cleveland where he has two supporting positions, as the Cleveland Orchestra’s associate conductor and as music director of the organization’s Youth Orchestra. In Denver, he’ll lead an artistic team that also includes 26-year-old Associate Conductor Christopher Dragon and 31-year-old Assistant Conductor Andres Lopera.

Youth brings with it a certain freshness the orchestra hopes to project, and it links easily with a programming routine that places equal emphasis on the new and the old...

There are other bits of strategy wrapped up in the appointment. The CSO wanted a maestro who would relocate to Denver and Mitchell is pledged to spend at least half the year here conducting a large number of concerts...

And regardless of the level of talent — and Mitchell appears to have plenty of it — young conductors come with a relatively low price tag.

“I think this is a deal that will resonate well with the budget, but also resonate well with the musicians,” said Jerry Kern, who is both CEO and co-chair of the board of trustees.

To read the complete article, please click here.

"Cleveland O Associate Conductor to Colorado"

Musical America Worldwide has published an article about Brett Mitchell's appointment as Music Director of the Colorado Symphony:

Succeeding Andrew Litton as music director of the Colorado Symphony will be Brett Mitchell, associate conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra and music director of its youth orchestra. He serves as designate in Colorado's current season and starts in earnest next July....

Mitchell, 37, has guest conducted widely and apprenticed under Kurt Masur at the Orchestre National de France, as assistant conductor, and Lorin Maazel at the Castelton Festival.

To read the complete article (subscription required), please click here.

"Cleveland Orchestra associate conductor Brett Mitchell scores top post at Colorado Symphony"

Brett Mitchell, associate conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, has been appointed music director of the Colorado Symphony. He begins as music director designate and takes up the full mantle in 2017. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) has published an article about Brett Mitchell's appointment as Music Director of the Colorado Symphony:

No longer is Brett Mitchell's musical future uncertain.

Now it's clear exactly where the associate conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra is headed: to the podium of the Colorado Symphony.

On Monday, the group announced the appointment of Mitchell as its next music director, for a four-year term officially commencing next year. He replaces conductor Andrew Litton, who has served in the post since 2012.

"It feels like that perfect marriage between an organization and an artistic leader," said Mitchell, also known locally as director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO).

"It was clearly a great match, from the first downbeat of the first rehearsal. You're always looking for an orchestra that you have real chemistry with."

For Mitchell, 37, here since 2013, the move to Colorado marks an unusually large step up the musical ladder. While most Cleveland assistants have gone on to great things, none have leapt straight to a prominent music directorship.

And yet the appointment is far from surprising. Indeed, for an orchestra like Colorado, just 26 years old and in the midst of a fiscal and artistic renaissance, Mitchell may be just the ticket.

Already Mitchell said he intends to be anything but a conventional music director, leading, as he did here in Cleveland, not only classical concerts but family and pops programs as well. He also has a great deal of comfort and experience speaking from the podium, and plans to continue the practice.

"[W]e have to recognize that Denver is a changing city, with younger audiences to engage," said Colorado Symphony board chair Jerry Kern, in a statement that included news of a healthy annual report. "We need to stay current..."

"I think it's going to be a ground-breaking partnership," added Mitchell.

Mitchell said his contract in Cleveland extends through the coming season. He will remain in Northeast Ohio through the coming year and fulfill all his regular duties, including those with COYO.

Meanwhile, in Colorado, he will serve as music director designate, appearing five times on a subscription series in his honor. He will officially take up the music director mantle and commence a four-year term at the start of the 2017-18 season.

"It's a forward-thinking orchestra," Mitchell said, "the kind I want to work for. I respect any organization that sees what it wants and goes out and gets it."

Respect, of course, is also what Mitchell feels for his current employer, which extended his contract and promoted him to associate conductor last year.

Having grown up in music listening to Cleveland Orchestra recordings, Mitchell said it has been nothing but an honor and a first-rate learning experience conducting at Severance Hall. He'd have gladly stayed here, in fact, had Colorado not come knocking.

"For being affiliated with an organization that places such a premium on excellence at every stage, I will never be anything but grateful," Mitchell said.

To read the complete article, please click here.

"Colorado Symphony introduces new music director Brett Mitchell"

(Photo by Roger Mastroianni)

Colorado Public Radio has published an article about Brett Mitchell's appointment as Music Director of the Colorado Symphony:

Exciting news for classical music fans in Colorado this morning: The Colorado Symphony today revealed the name of its next music director.

Conductor Brett Mitchell, the 37-year-old associate conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, will be the next maestro to lead the Colorado Symphony.

Mitchell doesn’t officially become music director until the 2017-18 season starts. But he’ll conduct several concerts this year as “music director designate.”

He’s slated to hold the music director position for four seasons.

In Cleveland, he also served as music director of the Cleveland Orchestra’s youth orchestra and increased the ensemble’s focus on American and contemporary composers...

Mitchell is active on social media, often sharing photos from rehearsals and concert tours on his Twitter feed.

He replaces Andrew Litton, who's taken on a reduced role with the orchestra after accepting a position with the New York City Ballet. Litton served as music director for four seasons beginning in 2012.

To read the complete article, please click here.