Role

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Conductor

 

Edwin Outwater is a renowned conductor and composer in the world of classical music. Born on March 23, 1971, in Santa Monica, California, Outwater grew up in a family of musicians. His father was a jazz pianist, and his mother was a classical pianist. Outwater started playing the piano at the age of four and later learned to play the trumpet and French horn. Outwater attended Harvard University, where he studied music and earned a degree in English literature. He then went on to study conducting at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Outwater also studied composition with John Adams, one of the most prominent American composers of the 20th century. Outwater's career as a conductor began in 2001 when he was appointed as the resident conductor of the San Francisco Symphony. He quickly gained recognition for his innovative programming and dynamic performances. In 2006, Outwater was appointed as the music director of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony in Ontario, Canada. During his tenure, he led the orchestra in a wide range of repertoire, from classical to contemporary music. Outwater has also served as a guest conductor for many of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has collaborated with many renowned soloists, including Yo-Yo Ma, Lang Lang, and Joshua Bell. One of Outwater's most significant achievements was his appointment as the music director of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra in 2001. Under his leadership, the orchestra became one of the most respected youth orchestras in the world. Outwater also founded the San Francisco Symphony's Adventures in Music program, which provides music education to over 25,000 students in the San Francisco Bay Area each year. Outwater has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. In 2006, he was awarded the Leonard Bernstein Award for Excellence in Educational Programming. In 2011, he was named one of Musical America's Top 30 Professionals of the Year. In 2014, he was awarded the Canadian Music Centre's Friends of Canadian Music Award for his contributions to Canadian music. In addition to his work as a conductor, Outwater is also a prolific composer. His compositions have been performed by many orchestras, including the San Francisco Symphony, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra. Outwater's music is known for its eclectic style, blending elements of classical, jazz, and rock music. Outwater's most notable compositions include his Symphony No. 1, which was premiered by the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony in 2009, and his Concerto for Electric Guitar and Orchestra, which was premiered by the San Francisco Symphony in 2014. The latter piece features a solo electric guitar, played by the renowned guitarist and composer Mason Bates. In recent years, Outwater has continued to push the boundaries of classical music. He has collaborated with artists from a wide range of genres, including hip-hop, electronic music, and indie rock. In 2018, he conducted a performance of the music from the video game "Final Fantasy" with the San Francisco Symphony. Edwin Outwater's contributions to classical music have been significant and far-reaching. His innovative programming and dynamic performances have inspired audiences around the world.

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