Currently in his fifteenth season as Music Director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, NEAL GITTLEMAN enjoys a career and reputation of international dimensions.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Neal Gittleman graduated from Yale University in 1975. He continued his musical studies with the eminent teachers Nadia Boulanger and Annette Dieudonné in Paris, Hugh Ross at the Manhattan School of Music and Charles Bruck at both the Pierre Monteux Domaine School and the Hartt School of Music, where he was the recipient of the Karl Böhm Fellowship. In 1984, he was the Second Prize Winner of Geneva's Ernest Ansermet International Conducting Competition, and, two years later, he was awarded Third Prize at the Leopold Stokowski Conducting Competition in New York City. In 1989, he was selected for the American Conductors Program at the American Symphony Orchestra League's annual conference in San Francisco.

Neal Gittleman's conducting career began in 1981 as Assistant Conductor of the Hartt Symphony Orchestra and the Hartt Opera Theater. Subsequently, he served as Assistant Conductor of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra (under the Exxon/Arts Endowment Conductors Program) and as Associate Conductor of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.  He was also the distinguished Resident Conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for three seasons, preceded by six years of service as its Associate Conductor. For four seasons, starting in 1998, Mr. Gittleman led an annual three-concert series of "Classical Connections" with The Phoenix Symphony, and, for five seasons - from 2000 through 2005, he led the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s series of "Discovery Concerts." As guest conductor, he has appeared with numerous orchestras, including l'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Chicago, Indianapolis, Oregon, New Jersey, Phoenix, Saint Louis, San Antonio, San Francisco and Seattle Symphonies, the Minnesota, Philadelphia and National Repertory Orchestras and the Buffalo and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestras as well as the ensembles of Anchorage, Bangor, Baton Rouge, Chattanooga, Cincinnati, El Paso, Eugene, Green Bay, Jacksonville, Knoxville, New Haven, Omaha, San Jose, Springfield and Chicago's Grant Park and Oregon's Britt Music Festivals. He has also conducted Canada's Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra London, México City's Orquesta Filamónica de la Ciudad de México, UNAM Philharmonic and Orquesta Cámara Bellas Artes, Bosnia’s Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra and Germany's Augsburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and led performances of Handel's Messiah in Tokyo and Osaka.

At home in the opera pit as well as on the concert stage, Neal Gittleman has conducted for the Hartt Opera Theater, Syracuse Opera Company, Milwaukee's Skylight Opera Theatre and Dayton’s Human Race Theatre Company. During the 1997-98 season, he made an acclaimed debut with the Dayton Opera, conducting Gounod's Faust, followed, in subsequent seasons, by productions of Bizet’s Carmen, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Adamo’s Little Women and Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia. He has also led performances of the Milwaukee Ballet, Hartford Ballet, Chicago City Ballet, Ballet Arizona and Theatre Ballet of Canada.

As Music Director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Neal Gittleman regularly conducts classical, Pops, educational and summer concerts. In addition, he leads the orchestra's nationally known "Classical Connections," a popular and innovative series offering audiences a "behind-the-scenes" look at masterpieces of the symphonic repertoire. His first CD with the DPO - "Tomas Svoboda - Piano Concertos" - with the composer soloist in the First Concerto and Norman Krieger soloist in the Second - was released in the summer of 2001. This was quickly followed by "Gershwin in Prague," with performances of Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F with the Prague National Symphony Orchestra, again with Norman Krieger as soloist. Both albums are available on the Artisie 4 Recordings label. In 2004, Albany Records released "A Celebration of Flight," comprised of new scores by William Bolcom, Robert Xavier Rodríguez, Michael Schelle and Steven Winteregg.

Neal Gittleman and his wife, Lisa Fry, make their home in Dayton.

A CELEBRATION OF FLIGHT
Bolcom: Inventing Flight
Winteregg: To Fly Unbounded
soloist: Mary Elizabeth Southworth, soprano
with Dayton Philharmonic Chorus
Schelle: Wright Flight
Rodriguez: Flight: The Story of Wilbur & Orville Wright
narrator: Allison Janney
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
Albany Records: TROY672
TOMAS SVOBODA - PIANO CONCERTOS
Piano Concerto #1, Op. 71
soloist: Tomas Svoboda
Piano Concerto #2, Op. 134
soloist: Norman Krieger
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
Artisie 4 Recordings: 1006
GERSHWIN IN PRAGUE
Rhapsody in Blue
 Concerto in F
soloist: Norman Krieger
Prague National Symphony Orchestra
Artisie 4 Recordings: 1005
"Concluding the eventing, Stravinsky's Firebird Suite (1919) showed off not only the Hall [Schuster Performing Arts Center], but also what this orchestra could do. Now in his eighth season, Gittleman has brought the Dayton Philharmonic to a new level. His captured the Firebird's magical sweep while illuminating details with a sure hand, and his musicians responded with a high degree of precision."
THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

"The orchestra performed with inspired insight, led by Gittleman's sympathetic reading of the Brahms score."
DAYTON DAILY NEWS

"The musicians gave the work the needed brilliance under Gittleman, whose direction clearly showed his expertise with Copland"
AUGSBURGER ALLGEMEINE

"But most striking was the silken, refined sound Mr. Gittleman elicited from the strings. He chose tempos that propelled the music and aided the playing of his musicians. The freedom of expression that resulted allowed the Dvorak's [Symphony #9] lyricism to sing. The finale was taut with palpable energy. Mr. Gittleman galvanized his musicians to a stunning finish."
THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

"Neal Gittleman is still an effective leader. He enters into the spirit of every piece he conducts; it all seems to matter to him, and nothing is mere routine. He cares about the orchestra and manages to make the audience feel that he cares about them too, and hopes that the music reaches them in all its power and beauty."
AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE

9/10/2009 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet
Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme
Tchaikovsky: Andante cantabile
soloist: Coleman Itzkoff, cellist
Tchaikovsky: Symphony #2
 
9/11/2009 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
"Classical Connections"
Tchaikovsky: The Sleeping Beauty (Waltz)
Tchaikovsky: Symphony #2
 
9/12/2008 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet
Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme
Tchaikovsky: Andante cantabile
soloist: Coleman Itzkoff, cellist
Tchaikovsky: Symphony #2
 
10/2/2009 (6:30pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
10/3/2009 (10am) Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Tchaikovsky: Coronation March
Stravinsky: The Fairy’s Kiss
Beethoven: Symphony #9
soloists: Mary Wilson, soprano
Susan Platts, mezzo-soprano
Richard Crawley, tenor
John Shuffle, bass-baritone
with Dayton Philharmonic Chorus
 
9/25/2009 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
9/26/2009 (8pm) Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Pops: Rock Legend, America
 
10/9/2009 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
10/10/2009 (8pm) Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Pops: "Benny Goodman’s 100th Birthday Party"
soloist: Ken Peplowski, clarinetist
with saxophone section of the U.S. Air Force Band of Flight
 
10/24/2009 (3pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Family Concert: "PhilharMonster"
Wendel: Ride of the Headless Horseman
Stravinsky: The Firebird (suite)
plus lots more spooky treats!
 
10/28/2009 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
10/29/2009 (8pm) Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Mozart: Adagio & Fugue
Tchaikovsky: Suite #4
Olmsted: Songs of Rumi
with Dayton Philharmonic Chamber Choir
 
11/5/2009 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Reznicek: Donna Diana (overture)
Liebermann: Clarinet Concerto (world premiere)
soloist: Jon Manasse
Franck: Symphony in d
 
11/6/2009 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
"Classical Connections"
Liebermann: Revelry
Liebermann: Clarinet Concerto (world premiere)
soloist: Jon Manasse
 
11/7/2009 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Reznicek: Donna Diana (overture)
Liebermann: Clarinet Concerto (world premiere)
soloist: Jon Manasse
Franck: Symphony in d
 
11/11/2009 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Copland: Lincoln Portrait
narrator:
Beethoven: Piano Concerto #5
soloist: John Novacek
                                               
12/31/2009 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
"New Year’s Eve Concert"
 
1/7/2010 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Wagner: A Faust Overture
Liszt: Piano Concerto #1
soloist: Lise de la Salle
Bruckner: Symphony #3
 
1/8/2010 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
"Classical Connections"
Beethoven: Symphony #9 (mvt. I)
Wagner: A Faust Overture (1840)
Wagner: Lohengrin (Act I Prelude)
Wagner: A Faust Overture (1855)
                                               
1/9/2010 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Wagner: A Faust Overture
Liszt: Piano Concerto #1
soloist: Lise de la Salle
Bruckner: Symphony #3
 
2/5/2010 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
2/6/2010 (8pm) Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Debussy: Rondes de Printemps
Reich: The Four Sections
Brahms: Symphony #2
 
2/13/2010 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Special: "A Night at Woodstock"
with Jeans ‘n Classics
 
2/27/2010 (7pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Monteverdi: Vespro della Beate Virgine (1610)
with Dayton Philharmonic Chamber Choir        
Bach Society of Dayton Chorus
 
3/11/2010 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Strauss: Death & Transfiguration
Barber: Piano Concerto
soloist: Leon Bates
Schumann: Symphony #3
 
3/12/2010 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
"Classical Connections"
Strauss: Death & Transfiguration
Schumann: Symphony #3
 
3/13/2010 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Strauss: Death & Transfiguration
Barber: Piano Concerto
soloist: Leon Bates
Schumann: Symphony #3
 
3/19/2010 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
3/20/2010 (8pm) Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Pops: "Gershwin on Broadway"
songs
soloists: La-Rose Saxon, soprano
Cedric Cannon, baritone
Rhapsody in Blue
soloist: Leon Bates
 
5/7/2010 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
5/8/2010 (8pm) Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Pops: Rhythm in Shoes
 
5/21/2010 (8pm) DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
5/22/2010 (8pm) Mead Theatre, Schuster Performing Arts Center
Boyce: Symphony #1
Elgar: In the South
Walton: Belshazzar’s Feast
soloist: Charles Robert Austin, bass-baritone
with Dayton Philharmonic Chorus