Fawzi Haimor Upped to Resident Conductor of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Fawzi Haimor, assistant conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra since 2012, has been promoted to resident conductor, effective immediately, a title he will share with Lawrence Loh, resident conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony since 2007.

"In the two short seasons that Fawzi has been with us, he has shown amazing versatility, dedication and work ethic," says James Wilkinson, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Symphony. "His warmth and talent create immediate connections to musicians, guest conductors and, most importantly, the audience. We expect great things from him in the future, here at Heinz Hall and around the world."

As resident conductor, Haimor will continue to conduct a variety of concerts, including classical, pops, education and outreach concerts, as well as serving as cover conductor for guest conductors and Music Director Manfred Honeck, conducting pre-concert talks and working on concert recordings. In the 2014-2015 season, Haimor will add leading the Fiddlesticks Family Series to his responsibilities.

"I am thrilled to continue to be a part of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. I can't imagine a better way to hone the craft of conducting than with an incredible music director like Manfred Honeck and world-class musicians like those in the Pittsburgh Symphony," said Haimor. "I look forward to sharing the responsibilities of resident conductor with my colleague Lawrence Loh and continuing my adventure in music."

Prior to his position at the Pittsburgh Symphony Haimor was assistant conductor of the Alabama Symphony for two seasons. He also has worked with the Jacksonville Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Amman Symphony, Orquestra Sinfonico do Porto and has just made his Italian debut with Filharmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, which resulted in an immediate reinvitation for next season. Further forthcoming debut appearances include those with Württembergisches Kammerorchester on tour in London, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi and with Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.

He has served as a cover conductor to esteemed conductors including Manfred Honeck, Leonard Slatkin, Gianandrea Noseada, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and Jan Pascal Tortelier. Born in Chicago in 1983, Haimor was raised in the Middle East and the San Francisco Bay Area. He began playing the violin at the age of 4 and completed his training at the Jacobs School of Music in Indiana University. He studied under David Effron and Arthur Fagen as well as attending master classes around the world led by highly respected conductors including Herbert Blomstedt, Jorma Panula and Gustav Meier.

Haimor earned bachelor's degrees in both music and neurobiology, physiology, and behavior, and a master's degree in conducting from the University of California-Davis before completing his second master's in instrumental conducting from Indiana University. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Houda, and their daughters, Aleena and Layla.

More about Haimor can be found at fawzihaimor.com. More about the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra can be found at pittsburghsymphony.org.