Brooklyn Philharmonic Appoints Alan Pierson As Artistic Director

The Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Philharmonic has announced the appointment of ALAN PIERSON as the orchestra's new Artistic Director, effective immediately. Alan's debut 2011-2012 season will be announced later this spring.

This appointment opens a new era for the Brooklyn Philharmonic as it redefines the modern urban orchestra and its relationship to the community. Today's Brooklyn is a burgeoning mix of music and cultures, an extraordinary hub of creativity. Going beyond the traditional idea of a big symphony orchestra in a marble hall, the new Brooklyn Philharmonic will travel out to the Borough's myriad neighborhoods, partnering with community organizations to develop live events that connect the orchestra with local musical traditions in original and exciting collaborations. In the process, the Brooklyn Philharmonic will also take on many forms-ranging from full-sized symphony orchestra to smaller ensembles-and perform in a variety of genres.

Newly elected Chairman of the Board, Jack W. Rainey, commented: "We have recommitted ourselves to serving New York City's largest and most musical Borough-Brooklyn! Alan Pierson is a brilliant choice to forge this new artistic vision. An exciting and inspiring musician and leader, he is well-connected to the breadth of groundbreaking new music being generated in Brooklyn and beyond. Alan has impressive ideas, intellect, experience, and a deep commitment to the Borough-we feel this is exactly what is needed to create the new Brooklyn Philharmonic."

Alan Pierson, 36, has a proven record of successful leadership and imaginative programming. As Artistic Director and conductor of the acclaimed chamber orchestra Alarm Will Sound-called "the future of classical music" by The New York Times and "a powerhouse ensemble" by The Washington Post-Alan developed a group of young conservatory students into a flourishing organization that filled an important niche, making a widely-seen mark on the contemporary music scene. He will continue to maintain this directorship.

On the podium, Alan has been praised as "commanding" by The New York Times, "gifted and electrifying" by The Boston Globe, and for his "insouciant virtuosity" by The Financial Times. He has appeared as guest conductor with the London Sinfonietta, the Steve Reich Ensemble, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, Carnegie Hall's Ensemble ACJW, the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, the New World Symphony, and The Silk Road Project, among other ensembles. Alan has a remarkable educational background, with degrees in both Music and Physics from MIT (where he developed new algorithms for planetary system dynamics), as well as a Masters in Composition and a Doctorate in Conducting from the Eastman School of Music.

"It is a great honor to be asked to help build the future of the Brooklyn Philharmonic," Alan Pierson stated. "Brooklyn is experiencing a kind of renaissance. Extraordinary things are happening everywhere. My goal is for the Brooklyn Philharmonic to connect with the Borough's vast, unique population through events that celebrate and reflect its incredibly diverse communities, and to do so in a way that involves original music-making which will be of interest beyond Brooklyn as well. We will become 'Brooklyn's Orchestra' like never before."

Alan's New Role:
As artistic director, Alan Pierson will guide the Brooklyn Philharmonic's overall artistic effort through adventurous new concerts, commissions, and the Philharmonic's extensive education and community programming.

He is designing a new flagship series called Junctions, which will bring the orchestra into communities all around the Borough, developing original collaborations with artists that enrich the communities it visits as well as the orchestra itself. These concerts will be free or low-cost, use a variety of indoor and outdoor venues, and will demonstrate the orchestra's ability to make music in any number of styles. Partnership discussions are already underway with enthusiastic community groups from Bedford Stuyvesant, Brighton Beach, Midwood, Downtown, and other neighborhoods.

Alan will further fulfill the Brooklyn Philharmonic's new vision through deeper connections between its performances and numerous educational programs, as well as active participation in marketing and fundraising strategies.

Brooklyn Philharmonic Firehouse Renovation Project
The Brooklyn Philharmonic will have a unique new home: a decommissioned DeGraw Street firehouse in Cobble Hill, estimated to open in summer 2012. The renovation project, awarded to the Brooklyn Philharmonic through a competitive selection process in 2008, is now fully funded through the support of Mayor Bloomberg, Borough President Marty Markowitz, The New York City Council, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Brooklyn Philharmonic Board of Directors. The DeGraw Street firehouse is a 3600 SF facility that will be leased by the Brooklyn Philharmonic from the City. Once renovated, it will house a performance space, rehearsal studios, classrooms, and administrative offices for the orchestra and its education partner Create.

"Alan is an excellent choice to lead the Brooklyn Philharmonic in a new and original direction." - Steve Reich

"Alan Pierson is a conductor full of creative programming ideas. He also has the technical ability to make those ideas work, for the orchestra and the audience. His imagination and enthusiasm are infectious, and he has the kind of artistic vision that can help shape the 21st century orchestra." - John Schaefer, WNYC

"Alan's leadership at both the Brooklyn Philharmonic and Alarm Will Sound puts him at several remarkable nexus points: chamber orchestra and symphony orchestra; new-music focus and repertory breadth; touring company and community organization; start-up and cultural institution. It's a unique spot for any conductor to be in." - Gavin Chuck, Managing Director of Alarm Will Sound

ALAN PIERSON
Alan Pierson has been praised as "a young conductor of monstrous skill" by Newsday, "commanding" by The New York Times, and "gifted and electrifying" by The Boston Globe. He is the artistic director and conductor of the acclaimed ensemble Alarm Will Sound which has been called "the future of classical music" by The New York Times and "a sensational force" with "powerful ideas about how to renovate the concert experience" by The New Yorker. Alan Pierson has appeared as a guest conductor with the London Sinfonietta, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Steve Reich Ensemble, Carnegie Hall's Ensemble ACJW, the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, the New World Symphony, and The Silk Road Project, among other ensembles. He is also Principal Conductor of the Dublin-based Crash Ensemble, and was a visiting faculty conductor at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He has collaborated with major composers and performers, including Yo Yo Ma, Steve Reich, Dawn Upshaw, Osvaldo Golijov, John Adams, Augusta Read Thomas, David Lang, Michael Gordon, La Monte Young, and choreographers Christopher Wheeldon, Akram Khan and Elliot Feld. He has recorded for Nonesuch Records, Cantaloupe Music, Sony Classical, and Sweetspot DVD.

Alan Pierson grew up in Chicago. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with degrees in Physics and Music, and from the Eastman School of Music with a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Conducting.

JACK W. RAINEY
Jack W. Rainey is Senior Vice President of Government and Community Banking at TD Bank. Jack's roots in business and community life stem back to working in the NYC Mayor's office in the Koch Administration, followed by a term as Executive Director of the Long Island City Business Development Corporation and appointment as Executive Administrator and Dean of Cooperative Education at LaGuardia Community College/CUNY. He became Chairman of the Board of the Brooklyn Philharmonic in November 2010, after serving on the board for four years. In addition, he serves on the steering committee of the Association for a Better New York (ABNY), and sits on the boards of the Variety Boys and Girls Club, the Flushing Willets Point LDC, and the Prospect Park YMCA. Jack is a member of the Government Relations Committee of the NY Bankers Association and is a member of several industry and community organizations.

BROOKLYN PHILHARMONIC
Founded in 1954, the Brooklyn Philharmonic is one of the nation's most innovative ensembles and Brooklyn's only professional orchestra. Under the leadership of esteemed conductors Michael Christie, Robert Spano, Dennis Russell Davies, Lukas Foss, and the Brooklyn Philharmonic's founding father, Siegfried Landau, the Brooklyn Philharmonic has played a leading role in the presentation of creative and thematic programming, receiving 22 ASCAP Awards for "Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music" and giving world premieres of over 166 works, including 65 commissions.

The Brooklyn Philharmonic's renewed mission is to serve, celebrate, and contribute to the diverse and ever-changing cultural fabric of Brooklyn. Dedicated to innovation, collaboration, and education, the Philharmonic engages Brooklyn's culturally, geographically, and ethnically diverse population, approaching the orchestra as a living tradition that can both enrich these communities and be enriched by them. To these ends, the orchestra will perform music of numerous styles in a wide variety of indoor and outdoor venues. The Brooklyn Philharmonic will also continue to grow its nationally recognized music education programs serving thousands of the Borough's public and private school children.

http://brooklynphilharmonic.org/