 |
 |
 |
 |
Now in his second season as Music Director of the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, MICHAEL HALL is an acclaimed and commanding presence on the podium, earning praise for his ability to communicate with audiences and his compelling advocacy for classical music.
Michael Hall previously served as Associate Conductor of Orange County’s Pacific Symphony Orchestra. He was also Resident Conductor of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Associate Conductor of England’s Havant Symphony Orchestra.
Michael Hall has made numerous guest appearances with some of the finest ensembles of North America, among them the symphony orchestras of Houston, Toledo, Tucson, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Windsor and Okanagan, as well as the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. He has also led performances with the Bozeman Symphony Orchestra and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic. His current season includes a return engagement with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.
A native of Canada, Michael Hall pursued post-graduate studies at London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Music, where he worked with Sir Colin Davis. He also holds a Master of Music degree in Conducting from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Gustav Meier. Mr. Hall was a finalist in the 2003 International Conducting Competition in Besançon, France, and was awarded Third Prize in the 2004 Cadaques Orchestra International Conducting Competition in Spain.
Michael Hall is dedicated to encouraging the growth and success of younger musicians and has served as Music Director of both the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Youth Orchestra. Mr. Hall is a resourceful educator and was the author of all the Pacific Symphony Orchestra’s “Family Musical Mornings” scripts, based on his original concepts.
While in Winnpieg, Michael Hall’s performances were recorded by CBC Radio and heard throughout Canada. In 2001, he appeared with the orchestra in the BRAVO television series Whole Notes, hosted by renowned pianist Jon Kimura Parker.
| "Michael Hall has talent to burn." WINNIPEG FREE PRESS "Hall showed that he is more than ready for prime time. He confidently led performances of two rarely heard works, Boccherini’s Symphony No. 6 in D minor and Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in F, Op. 6, No. 9, and more than held his own as accompanist and ringleader in Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons." THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER "Hall jumped headfirst into Berlioz’s expressive Le Corsaire overture with aplomb before stopping and luxuriating in the piece’s early and lush romanticism. The rushing strings were gracefully shaped and paced. The orchestral balance was especially well handled. All of Berlioz’s inventive scoring came through clearly." WINNIPEG FREE PRESS "Hall’s an attractively brainy musician, sensitive as well, who never vulgarized or trivialized Tchaikovsky - a rare thing. This was apparent from the start, in Hall’s commanding reading of the sometimes rickety Capriccio Italien, which sounded like a gem. In his carefully limned and paced account, Hall produced a steady ascent of intensity, refusing to release the hounds until the end. Instrumental balances were carefully calibrated; phrases were elegantly etched." |
|
10/31/2008 (7:30pm) SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA |
