Kingston Symphony Welcomes New Musical Director Evan Mitchell
The Kingston Symphony Association has just announced the appointment of Evan Mitchell as its new Music Director and Conductor. Mr. Mitchell, currently Assistant Conductor of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, is considered one of Canada’s most innovative young conductors. He recently completed a residency with the Vancouver Symphony and served as the official music consultant to the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Committee, playing a key role in producing ceremonial recordings. His diplomatic and musical skills, and original programming, have been highly praised by fellow musicians.
Mr. Mitchell’s appointment is for a three-year term and takes effect on September 1, 2014. “Evan Mitchell is one of the leading young conductors to appear on the Canadian scene,” said Harold Redekopp, President of the Kingston Symphony Association (KSA). “He has demonstrated an exceptional talent for connecting with a wide range of audiences – from the concert hall to the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Evan’s impressive musical skills, coupled with his ability to mobilize social media and technology, will be a great asset as the KSA strives to engage with a broader audience.”
Mr. Mitchell said he is thrilled to be taking on the music directorship of the KSA, currently marking its 60th anniversary.
“Kingston truly is a magnificent city with deep history, and the prospect of working with such fine musicians and performing in the new Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts is extremely exciting!” he said. “I am looking forward to making the very best music we can, celebrating the centuries of great composers past alongside new Canadian compositional talent. I think that in this great city with this great orchestra, the possibilities are endless! And I find that to be truly inspiring.”
Mr. Mitchell succeeds the KSA’s longtime Music Director, Glen Fast, who has held the position for the past 23 years and will continue to be involved with the orchestra as Conductor Emeritus. Over the next two years, he will conduct two concerts a year and perform other symphony-related functions.