Keith Lockhart

Since Keith Lockhart’s appointment as seventh Principal Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra in August of 2010, highlights of his tenure include two critically acclaimed North American tours (2010-2011 and 2012-2013 seasons), conducting annual performances at The Proms, and celebrating the orchestra’s 60th year in 2012. In June of that same year, Keith Lockhart conducted the orchestra during Queen Elizabeth II’s gala Diamond Jubilee Concert, which was broadcast around the world. Keith Lockhart and the BBC Concert Orchestra will embark on another North American tour in the 2014-2015 season featuring pianist Charlie Albright. Meanwhile, across the pond, he celebrates his nineteenth anniversary season as Conductor of the Boston Pops, and continues to serve as Artistic Director of the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute and Festival.

Keith Lockhart has conducted nearly every major orchestra in North America, as well as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the NHK Symphony in Tokyo, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Last October, he made his London Philharmonic debut in Royal Albert Hall. In the opera pit, Maestro Lockhart has conducted productions with the Atlanta Opera, Washington Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, and Utah Opera. The 2013-2014 season brings appearances with the WDR Radio Orchestra in Cologne, the Naples Philharmonic (Florida, USA), the Hyogo (can you put in full name here?), and the Pittsburgh Symphony.

In 2009, Keith Lockhart concluded eleven seasons as Music Director of the Utah Symphony. He led that orchestra through the complete symphonic works of Gustav Mahler and brought them to Europe on tour for the first time in two decades. He stood at the front of that organization’s historic merger with the Utah Opera to create the first-ever joint administrative arts entity of the Utah Symphony and Opera. Since the merger, arts institutions nationally and internationally have looked to Maestro Lockhart as an example of an innovative thinker on and off the podium. Maestro Lockhart conducted three “Salute to the Symphony” television specials broadcast regionally, one of which received an Emmy award, and, in December 2001, he conducted the orchestra and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in a national PBS broadcast of Vaughan Williams’ oratorio Hodie. Maestro Lockhart led the Utah Symphony during Opening Ceremonies of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and conducted two programs for the 2002 Olympic Arts Festival. Under his baton, the Utah Symphony released its first recording in two decades, Symphonic Dances, in April 2006.

In February 1995, Lockhart was named the 20th conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra since its founding in 1885. Over the last 19 years, he has conducted over 1500 concerts and made 74 television shows, including 38 new programs for PBS’s Evening at Pops; and the annual July Fourth spectacular, produced by Boston’s WBZ-TV and broadcast nationally for many years on the A&E and CBS television networks. The Boston Pops’ 2002 July Fourth broadcast was Emmy-nominated, and the Evening at Pops telecast of “Fiddlers Three” won the 2002 ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award. Keith Lockhart was the 2006 recipient of the Bob Hope Patriot Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. He has led the Boston Pops on 38 national tours, four overseas tours of Japan and Korea, and in performances at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. Under his direction, the orchestra has performed to enthusiastic audiences in concert halls and sports arenas across the country. In September 2004, they appeared live on national television with Sir Elton John during the NFL Season Kickoff special. In February 2002, Maestro Lockhart led the Boston Pops in the pre-game show of Super Bowl XXXVI at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Since November 2004, he and the Boston Pops have released five self-produced recordings: 2013’s A Boston Pops Christmas—Live from Symphony Hall, Sleigh Ride, America, Oscar & Tony, and The Red Sox Album, all available online through www.bostonpops.org. Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra recorded eight albums with RCA Victor—Runnin’ Wild: Keith Lockhart and The Boston Pops Orchestra Play Glenn Miller, American Visions, the Grammy-nominated The Celtic Album, Holiday Pops, A Splash of Pops, Encore!, the Latin Grammy-nominated The Latin Album, and My Favorite Things: A Richard Rodgers Celebration.

In October 2007, Lockhart succeeded David Effron as Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor of the Brevard Music Center summer institute and festival. The Brevard Music Center (BMC) has established itself as one of this nation’s leading summer institutes for gifted young musicians, preparing them to perform great musical works at a high artistic level, Lockhart’s appointment solidifies an already special relationship with BMC; Having attended as a teenager for two summers (1974, 1975), Lockhart was first featured as a guest conductor in 1996 and has since returned numerous times.

Keith Lockhart served as Music Director of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra for seven years, completing his tenure in 1999. During his leadership, the Orchestra doubled its number of performances, released recordings, and developed a reputation for innovative and accessible programming. Maestro Lockhart also served as Associate Conductor of both the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra from 1990 to 1995.

Born in Poughkeepsie, NY, Maestro Lockhart began his musical studies on piano at the age of 7, and holds degrees from Furman University and Carnegie Mellon University. He also holds honorary doctorates from the Boston Conservatory, Boston University, Northeastern University, Furman University, and Carnegie Mellon University, among others.