Michael Christie (conductor)

Michael Christie (born June 30, 1974 in Buffalo, New York) is an American conductor. He graduated from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music with a bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance. His conducting teachers have included Peter Jaffe, Eiji Oue, and Robert Spano.

Christie first came to international attention in 1995 when he received a special prize for "outstanding potential" at the First International Sibelius Conductor’s Competition in Helsinki at age 21.[1] Following the competition, he became an apprentice conductor with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and subsequently worked with Daniel Barenboim, conducting both in Chicago and at the Berlin State Opera. From 1996 to 1998, he was associate conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic. Franz Welser-Möst named Christie assistant conductor at the Zurich Opera for the 1997–98 season.

Christie was the music director of the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder for 13 seasons, from 2000 until 2013.[2] He is credited with nearly doubling attendance and revenue at the festival during his tenure.[3] In November 2012, Christie stepped down as Colorado Music Festival's music director, effective after the 2013 season.[4] Christie is now music director laureate of the Colorado Music Festival and returned to conduct performances in 2015.[5]

From 2001 to December 2004, Christie was chief conductor of the Queensland Orchestra.

In December 2004, Christie was appointed music director of the Phoenix Symphony. In January 2012, having served 8 seasons, it was announced that Christie would be leaving the Phoenix Symphony to become music director of the Minnesota Opera.[6] The Phoenix Symphony named him music director laureate for a three-season term in 2013. With the Phoenix Symphony, Christie has recorded music of Mark Grey for the Naxos label.

In August 2005, Christie was named the 5th music director of the Brooklyn Philharmonic,[7] with his first concert in February 2006.[8] His Brooklyn Philharmonic tenure concluded in June 2010.[9]

Michael Christie is currently music director of the Minnesota Opera, starting his tenure with the 2012–2013 season.[10] In February 2014, Michael Christie's contract with the Minnesota Opera was extended to the 2017–2018 season.[11]  With the Minnesota Opera, Christie has conducted world premieres of new three operas, commissioned by the Minnesota Opera as part of its New Works Initiative:[12] Kevin Puts' Silent Night (2011), which won the Pulitzer Prize in music;[13] Puts' The Manchurian Candidate (2015); and Paul Moravec's The Shining (2016).

Whilst in Australia, Christie met his future wife Alexis, a medical doctor. The couple married in 2006,[14] and they have two children.

References

  1. ↑ Kyle MacMillan (June 30, 2008). "Christie's back at home helming Colorado Music fest". Denver Post. Retrieved 2008-07-04.
  2. ↑ Marc Shulgold (June 22, 2006). "Building a better fest". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
  3. ↑ "Michael Christie to step down from Boulder's Colorado Music Festival". Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  4. ↑ Mitchell Byars (October 12, 2011). "Colorado Music Festival director Michael Christie gets five-year contract extension". Daily Camera. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
  5. ↑ "Colorado Music Festival season includes change, Christie guest appearance". Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  6. ↑ "Phoenix Symphony conductor Michael Christie moving on". azcentral.com. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  7. ↑ Daniel J. Wakin (August 12, 2005). "Brooklyn Philharmonic Names a New Music Director". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
  8. ↑ Daniel J. Wakin (February 27, 2006). "A New Director Open to Adventure and a Challenge". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
  9. ↑ Daniel J. Wakin (January 19, 2011). "Brooklyn Philharmonic Hires Artistic Director and Aims for ‘New Era’". New York Times ArtsBeat. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
  10. ↑ "Minnesota Opera appoints Michael Christie as Music Director" (PDF) (Press release). Minnesota Opera. January 19, 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
  11. ↑ "Minnesota Opera announces its 2014–2015 season" (PDF) (Press release). Minnesota Opera. February 20, 2014.
  12. ↑ "New Works Initiative | Minnesota Opera". www.mnopera.org. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  13. ↑ "'Silent Night' by Kevin Puts wins Pulitzer for music". LA Times Blogs - Culture Monster. 2012-04-16. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  14. ↑ Angela Gonzales, "Work becomes music to his ears". Phoenix Business Journal, June 30, 2006
Cultural offices
Preceded by
Muhai Tang		 Chief Conductor, The Queensland Orchestra
2001–2004 		Succeeded by
Johannes Fritzsch
Preceded by
Hermann Michael		 Music Director, Phoenix Symphony
2005–2013 		Succeeded by
Tito Muñoz
Preceded by
Robert Spano		 Music Director, Brooklyn Philharmonic
2005–2010 		Succeeded by
Alan Pierson (artistic director)
Preceded by
Giora Bernstein		 Music Director, Colorado Music Festival
2000–2013 		Succeeded by
Jean-Marie Zeitouni
Preceded by
George Manahan (principal conductor)		 Music Director, Minnesota Opera
2012–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
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