| Music Director
On September 19, 2005, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s
Board of Directors announced the appointment of Christopher
Wilkins as Music Director Designate for the 2005 – 2006
season and Music Director beginning with the 2006 – 2007
season. He becomes the organization’s second
music director, succeeding Hal France. The musicians,
board, staff and volunteers of the Orlando Philharmonic
are looking forward with enthusiasm to working with
Mr. Wilkins, and to furthering the artistic stature
of the orchestra.
Wilkins comes to Orlando with extensive experience. For
ten seasons, he was Music Director of the San Antonio
Symphony, and since 2001 has served that orchestra
as Music Director Emeritus. He was Music Director of
the Colorado Springs Symphony from 1989-1996, and is
currently Artistic Advisor to the Opera Theatre of
the Rockies in Colorado Springs. He served recently
as resident conductor of the Youth Orchestra of the
Americas, helping in the formation of that orchestra
in its inaugural season, and subsequently leading it
on tours throughout the Americas.
As a guest conductor, Christopher Wilkins has appeared
with many of the leading orchestras of the United States,
including those of Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston,
Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco.
He also appears frequently overseas, with regular concerts
in recent seasons in New Zealand, and with many of
the principal orchestras of Spain.
During his tenure in San Antonio, the orchestra made
extraordinary gains artistically, increased its profile
and reputation within the community, and gained national
acclaim for several new programs. Together they received
six programming awards from ASCAP, including the first-ever
Morton Gould Award for creative programming.
In 1992 Mr. Wilkins was winner of the Seaver/NEA Award,
designed to identify exceptionally talented American
conductors in the early stages of major careers. He
served as the associate conductor of the Utah Symphony
from 1986-89, assisting his former teacher Joseph Silverstein,
and was assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra
from 1983-86, as assistant to Music Director Christoph
von Dohnányi. Previously, he was conducting
assistant with the Oregon Symphony under Music Director
James DePreist, and a conducting fellow at the Berkshire
Music Center at Tanglewood.
Born in Boston, Mr. Wilkins earned his bachelor's degree
from Harvard College in 1978. As an oboist, he performed
with many ensembles in the Boston area, including the
Berkshire Music Center Orchestra at Tanglewood, and the
Boston Philharmonic under Benjamin Zander. He studied
at Yale University with Otto-Werner Mueller, receiving
his master of music degree in 1981. In 1979-80, he attended
the Hochschule der Künste in West Berlin, as a recipient
of the John Knowles Paine traveling fellowship, awarded
by the Harvard music department.
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Christopher
Wilkins 
