Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (FWSO) has announced its latest key appointment.
German conductor Kevin John Edusei, who made his FWSO debut in September and joins as Principal Guest Conductor effective Jan. 1, 2022, has conducted widely across Europe. Edusei’s appointment as FWSO’s Principal Guest Conductor marks his first in the U.S.
FWSO reaches an audience of more than 200,000 annually through performance, education, and outreach. As the principal resident company of the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall, the Orchestra performs a full season of concerts featuring internationally acclaimed guest artists and works by living composers.
The Orchestra performs and partners with the Texas Ballet Theater, Fort Worth Opera, The Cliburn, and Performing Arts Fort Worth. Each summer at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, the FWSO presents Concerts in the Garden – a series of family-friendly concerts that has become a city-wide tradition. Additionally, the orchestra hosts an annual Festival of Orchestras, providing an opportunity for non-professional orchestras across the state of Texas to perform in Bass Performance Hall.
“When I made my debut here in September, I was struck not only by the superb musicianship of the instrumentalists, but also by the sense of shared musical purpose that infuses the entire organization,” said Edusei. “It is a special atmosphere that I look forward to being an even greater part of, and I couldn’t ask for a better landing spot in the U.S. as I look to expand my horizons here.”
Edusei is known as a conductor who is deeply committed to the creative elements of performance, presenting classical music in new formats, cultivating audiences, introducing music by under-represented composers, conducting an eclectic range of repertoire from the baroque to the contemporary, and shaping his concert programs to communicate a dramaturgical narrative.
The new conductor succeeds Robert Spano, who becomes FWSO’s Music Director Designate on Aug. 1, 2022. The two will collaborate on programming and orchestra development. Former Music Director Miguel Harth-Bedoya will remain as Music Director Laureate. As Principal Guest Conductor, Edusei will conduct two concerts during the first year of his term, on February 11 and June 2, 2023, and two subscription programs each season during his tenure.
At the Aspen Music Festival in 2004, Edusei’s first appearance in the U.S., he was awarded the fellowship for the American Academy of Conducting by David Zinman. In Europe, he divided his time equally between the concert hall and opera house. Currently is in his eight and final season as Chief Conductor of the Munich Symphony. Under his leadership, the orchestra was awarded the Excellence Initiative of the German Federal Government in 2018. He also served as Chief Conductor of the Bern Opera House from 2015 to 2019.
Edusei studied conducting at the Berlin University of the Arts and the Royal Conservatoire The Hague, The Netherlands. Click here to view a video greeting from the conductor.
Photo credit: Marco Borggreve
