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Daniel Brier | Conductor

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    Daniel Brier | Conductor

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      Daniel Brier | Conductor

      • Biography

        Conductor Daniel Brier enjoys a multi-faceted career which comfortably spans symphony, opera, ballet, and live movies. He is currently the Music Director & Principal Conductor of Opera Wilmington. Recent and upcoming guest engagements include the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, Toledo Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Lexington Philharmonic, Adrian Symphony, Whiting Park Symphony Orchestra, and St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic. He has collaborated with a diverse range of artists including Bobby McFerrin, Pablo Sainz Villegas, Rachel Barton Pine, Jennifer Frautschi, and more. As an opera conductor, he recently conducted productions of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Puccini’s La Bohéme, Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel, and Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. As a movie conductor, he has conducted live to picture performances of the original Star Wars trilogy (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, The Return of the Jedi), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, How to Train Your Dragon, Jaws, A Jungle Book, and more. Highlights of Mr. Brier’s 2022-23 season include a new production of La Traviata with Opera Wilmington, return engagements with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, and programs with the young musicians of the Hope College Orchestra and Kalamazoo Junior Symphony.

         

        A sought after educator, Mr. Brier is currently Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Hope College. He previously taught at the University of Michigan String Preparatory Academy, Western Michigan University, Andrews University, Kalamazoo Kids In Tune, Orion Chamber Music Society, and more. During February 2022, he completed a residency at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music teaching conducting and leading the symphony orchestra.

         

        Mr. Brier served the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra as Interim Music Director (2017-18), Resident Conductor (2016-17, 2018-2022), and Assistant Conductor (2014-16). During his eight seasons with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, he conducted the orchestra in numerous programs including annual subscription masterworks, chamber orchestra, family, education, pops, holiday, movie, and summer parks concerts. Under his leadership, the orchestra diversified its programming, expanded its community partnerships, innovated new concert series, and reached young people with inspiring and imaginative education programming.

         

        Past positions include founding Music Director of the Spectrum Orchestra, Assistant Conductor of the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, and conductor of the University of Michigan Orpheus Singers. In 2010, he was awarded a prize for his “exceptional conducting” during the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic’s International Conducting Competition. Later, in 2012, he received an invitation to study with John Nelson at the Orchestre de chambre de Paris. Mr. Brier has conducted in masterclasses with Giancarlo Guerrero, Hugh Wolff, Jorma Panula, Alexander Polishchuk, Victor Yampolsky, Carl Topilow, and Ragnar Bohlin.

         

        Mr. Brier received his musical training at the University of Michigan’s renowned conducting program earning degrees in orchestral conducting with Kenneth Kiesler and choral conducting with Dr. Jerry Blackstone. While at the University of Michigan, he served as an assistant conductor for the world premiere recording of Milhaud’s L’Orestie d'Eschyle conducted by Kenneth Kiesler. Recorded live on Naxos, the album earned a GRAMMY® nomination in 2015. He is a recipient of the Julian and Vera McIntosh scholarship for promising young musicians and conductors, the Dr. Charlene Archibeque scholarship for choral conductors, and the Dorothy Greenwald scholarship.

         

        Updated February 2023

        *Please disregard all previous materials

      • 2022-2023 Concert Season

        Conducting Schedule

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        Opera Wilmington

        Die Zauberflöte

        July 23, 2022

        July 25, 2022

        July 30, 2022

        August 1, 2022

        Opera Wilmington

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

         

        Mozart: Die Zauberflöte

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        Hope College

        Homecoming Gala Concert

        October 21, 2022

        Hope College Orchestra, Choirs, Band, and Jazz Arts Collective

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

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        Hope College

        Fall Orchestra Concert

        November 4, 2022

        Hope College Orchestra

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

         

        Brahms: Hungarian Dances Nos. 5 & 6

        Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings

        Schubert: Symphony No. 8 "Unfinished"

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        Kalamazoo Junior Symphony

        Fall Concert

        November 13, 2022 4PM

        Kalamazoo Junior Symphony

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

         

        Brahms: Hungarian Dance Nos. 1, 5, and 6

        Elgar: Cello Concerto

        Florence Price: Symphony No. 3

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        Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra + Ballet Arts Ensemble

        The Dinner Party

        November 19, 2022 2PM and 7PM

        Ballet Arts Ensemble

        Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

         

        The Dinner Party (featuring music by Mozart)

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        Hope College

        Vespers

        December 3, 2022 4:30PM

        December 4, 2022 3PM

        Hope College Choirs and Orchestra

        Eric Reyes, Conductor

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

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        Toledo Symphony

        Runout Concerts

        February 11, 2023

        Toledo Symphony Orchestra

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

         

        Holland: Party Starter

        Milhaud: Scaramouche

        Beethoven: Egmont Overture

        Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3

        Walker: Lyric for Strings

        Rubenstein: Piano Concerto No. 4

        Higdon: Machine

        Williams: Imperial March

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        Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

        Jurassic Park

        February 24, 2023 7PM

        Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

         

        Williams: Jurassic Park

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        Hope College

        Concerto Competition Winner's Concert

        March 2023

        Hope College Orchestra

        Peter Ruffolo, Piano

        Leah Reinardy, Marimba

        Bethany Dame, Organ

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

         

        Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3

        Rosauro: Marimba Concerto

        Guilmant: Organ Symphony No. 1, Op. 42

        Tchaikovsky: Selections from Swan Lake

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        Kalamazoo Symphony

        Youth Concerts

        March 6-8, 2023 10AM & 12PM

        Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

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        Hope College

        Spring Concert

        April 2023

        Hope College Orchestra

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

         

        Holland: El Jaleo

        Wagner: Wesendonck Lieder

        Walker: Lyric for Strings

        Sibelius: Karelia Suite

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        Opera Wilmington

        La Traviata

        July 2023

        Opera Wilmington

        Daniel Brier, Conductor

         

        Verdi: La Traviata

      • Photos

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      © 2022 by Daniel S. Brier. All rights reserved.

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