Bassist Joseph Conyers Joins Philadelphia Orchestra

The Philadelphia Orchestra announces the appointment of Joseph Conyers as assistant principal bass. Mr. Conyers, whose tenure began at the start of the 2010-11 season, comes to the Orchestra from the Atlanta Symphony, where he served a one-and-a-half year tenure. Previously, he held the position of principal bass with the Grand Rapids Symphony and spent four summers as a member of the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra.

Described by the Grand Rapids Press as "a lyrical musician who plays with authenticity that transcends mere technique," Mr. Conyers performed as soloist with the Grand Rapids Symphony in a concerto commissioned by the Grand Rapids Symphony and written for him entitled Prayers of Rain and Wind by John B Hedges. Mr. Conyers has also soloed with the Alabama Symphony, the Flagstaff Symphony, the Savannah Symphony, and the Sphinx Symphony, having won second prize at the 2004 Sphinx Competition in Detroit. In June 2010, he made a solo appearance with the Dekalb (GA) Symphony performing the Koussevitzky Bass Concerto.

Mr. Conyers has performed throughout the United States and Europe. He served as principal bass of the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, and also served as assistant principal bass of Symphony in C. He has been a fellowship student and held principal positions at numerous music festivals, including the Tanglewood Music Center, the Aspen Music Festival and School, the Verbier Music Festival in Switzerland, the Brevard Music Center, and the Britten-Pears Music Festival in England.

A recipient of numerous awards and honors, Mr. Conyers received his bachelor's degree from the Curtis Institute of Music having studied with both Harold Robinson, principal bass of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and double bass soloist Edgar Meyer. Other mentors have included David Warshauer, Daniel Swaim, and Albert Laszlo. In 1999 Mr. Conyers was one of the first guests of NPR's From the Top with host Christopher O'Riley on one of its pilot shows. He was the inaugural recipient of the Sanford Allen Award from the Sphinx Competition, and in February 2010 he was the first Sphinx Competition laureate to serve on the distinguished jury panel for the Competition.
Sometimes juggling a studio of over a dozen students, Mr. Conyers is committed to education and community engagement through music. He was heavily involved in developing curriculum for the Atlanta Symphony's Sound Learning program, which integrates music into the school curriculum at local elementary schools. He also served as adjunct faculty at Clark Atlanta University.

For much of 2010, Mr. Conyers was featured in a television commercial as a part of a Mutual of Omaha advertisement campaign. His "aha moment" was about his inspiration founding a nonprofit in Savannah, GA, called Project 440 (project440.org). Formerly known as MusicAlive!, Project 440 has reached thousands of youths, exposing children and adults to classical music throughout the Savannah region.

Mr. Conyers performs on the "Zimmerman/Gladstone" 1802 Vincenzo Panormo double bass, which he has affectionately named "Norma."

The Philadelphia Orchestra is among the world's leading orchestras. Renowned for its artistic excellence since its founding in 1900, the Orchestra has excited audiences with thousands of concerts in Philadelphia and around the world.

With only seven music directors throughout more than a century of unswerving orchestral distinction, the artistic heritage of The Philadelphia Orchestra is attributed to extraordinary musicianship under the leadership and innovation of Fritz Scheel (1900-07), Carl Pohlig (1907-12), Leopold Stokowski (1912-41), Eugene Ormandy (1936-80), Riccardo Muti (1980-92), Wolfgang Sawallisch (1993-2003), and Christoph Eschenbach (2003-08). After 30 years of a celebrated association with The Philadelphia Orchestra, Charles Dutoit continues the tradition as chief conductor.

Since Mr. Dutoit's debut with the Orchestra in July 1980 he has led hundreds of concerts in Philadelphia, at Carnegie Hall, and on tour, as artistic director of the Orchestra's summer concerts at the Mann Center, artistic director and principal conductor of the Orchestra's summer residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and now as chief conductor. With the 2012-13 season, the Orchestra honors Mr. Dutoit by bestowing upon him the title conductor laureate.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin assumed the title of music director designate in June 2010, immediately joining the Orchestra's leadership team. He takes up the baton as The Philadelphia Orchestra's next music director in 2012.

The Philadelphia Orchestra annually touches the lives of countless music lovers worldwide, through concerts, presentations, and recordings. Each year the Orchestra presents a subscription season at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, education and community partnership programs, and annual appearances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center; it also regularly tours throughout the world. Its summer schedule includes performances at the Mann Center, free Neighborhood Concerts throughout Greater Philadelphia, and residencies at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. For more information on The Philadelphia Orchestra, please visit www.philorch.org.

 

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