Joshua Gersen Conductor Composer

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© 2011 Joshua Gersen

Bio

Biography

Joshua David (J.D.) Gersen, winner of the prestigious 2011 Aspen Conducting Prize, as well as the 2010 Robert J. Harth Conducting Prize from the Aspen Music Festival, made his conducting debut at age 11 with the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestra in Bridgeport, CT, and his professional conducting debut 5 years later, when he led the Greater Bridgeport Symphony in a performance of his own composition, A Symphonic Movement. He is currently the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Conducting Fellow of the New World Symphony, where he serves as the assistant conductor to the symphonys Artistic Director Michael Tilson Thomas, and also leads the orchestra in various subscription, education, and family concerts. He has also recently been appointed the next Music Director of the New York Youth Symphony, a post he will begin in the fall of 2012. J.D. is a graduate from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he studied conducting with the esteemed Otto-Werner Mueller.

While at Curtis, he conducted numerous performances, rehearsals, and sectionals with various ensembles including the Curtis Symphony Orchestra and the 20/21 contemporary ensemble, assisted on several opera productions, premiered multiple works by student composers, and participated in master classes with internationally renowned conductors including Christoph Eschenbach, Alan Gilbert, and Simon Rattle. He has covered and assisted for many orchestras including the St. Louis Symphony and the Harrisburg Symphony.

For several years Mr. Gersen studied music theory, composition, and conducting with the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras Music Director Robert Genualdi. In 1999, at the age of 15, J.D. was invited to study with internationally renowned teacher Gustav Meier, with whom he would study with for the next 6 years. In addition to regularly attending Mr. Meiers seminar at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, J.D. has also attended numerous conducting workshops and summer festivals, most recently the American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival in the summer of 2010 and 2011, where he worked such distinguished conductors as Larry Rachleff, Hugh Wolff, and Robert Spano. As a result of winning the 2011 Aspen Conducting Prize, he will serve as the festivals assistant conductor for the 2012 summer season.

Beyond his conducting interests, J.D. is also an avid composer. Both his String Quartet #1 and Fantasy for Chamber Orchestra have been premiered in New England Conservatorys celebrated Jordan Hall. He has had works performed by the New Mexico Symphony, Greater Bridgeport Symphony, and frequently with the GBYO. He has recently been commissioned again by the Greater Bridgeport Symphony to write an orchestral work for a gala concert in May of 2012 in honor of Gustav Meiers 40th season as Music Director of the orchestra. In 2006, J.D. finished his work at the New England Conservatory in Boston, where he received his Bachelor of Music degree in composition studying with Michael Gandolfi. His work as a composer has also led to an interest in conducting contemporary music. He has conducted several world premieres of new works, and collaborated with such established composers as Jennifer Higdon and his teacher Michael Gandolfi.

Schedule

Upcoming Performances

New World Symphony

Education Concert Series

Thursday December 15th, 2011, 10 &11:45 AM

Friday December 16th, 2011, 10 & 11:45 AM

New World Center, Miami, FL

Program TBA

New World Symphony

Chamber Music Series

Sunday December 18th, 2011, 2 PM

New World Center, Miami, FL

Mauricio Kagel: Southwest from The Compass Pieces

New World Symphony

Subscription Series

Saturday January 7th, 2012, 7:30 PM

Sunday January 8th, 2012, 2 PM

New World Center, Miami, FL

Prokofiev: March and Scherzo from The Love for Three Oranges

New World Symphony

Family Benefit Concert

Saturday January 22nd, 2012, 2 PM

New World Center, Miami, FL

Glinka: Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla

Stravinsky: Round Dance of the Princesses from Firebird Suite

Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition

New World Symphony

Mini Concert Series

Friday Febuary 10th, 2012 7:30, 8:30, 9:30 PM

Satuday Febuary 11th, 2012, 7:30, 8:30, 9:30 PM

New World Center, Miami FL

Vaughn Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3

New World Symphony

Subscription Series

Saturday Febuary 18th, 2012, 8 PM

Arsht Center, Miami, FL

Tchaikovsky: March Solennelle

New World Symphony

Gala Concert

Saturday Feburary 25th, 2012, 7 PM

New World Center, Miami, FL

Selections of music from the films of Alfred Hitchcock including Dial M for Murder, North by Northwest, and To Catch a Thief

New World Symphony

NWS Side by side concert

Sunday March 11st, 2012, 7:30 PM

New World Center, Miami, FL

Program TBA

New World Symphony

Concerts for Kids

Sunday March 25th, 2012, 11:30 AM, 2:30 PM

New World Center, Miami, FL

Program to include:

Reineke: Casey at the Bat

New World Symphony

Subscription Series

Friday April 13th, 2012, 8 PM

New World Center, Miami, FL

Verdi: Overture to La Forza del Destino

June-August 2012

Assistant Conductor at the Aspen Music Festival and School

Performances and repertoire TBA

Media

Video

Video Clips

Dimitri Shostakovich: Symphony #5 in D Minor Mvt. 4

Antonin Dvorak: Symphony #9 in E Minor "From the New World" Mvt. 4

Insert text here

Shostakovich Symphony #5 in D Minor, Mvt. 4 Joshua Gersen, Conductor

Dvorak Symphony #9 in E Minor "From the New World" Mvt. 4 Joshua Gersen, Conductor

Audio

Audio Clips of Compositions

Joshua Gersen: String Quartet #1 (2005) Performed by the Brando String Quartet

Mvt. 1

gersen string quartet mvt. 1

Mvt. 2

gersen string quartet mvt. 2

Mvt. 3

gersen string quartet mvt. 3

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Contact

Contact Information

Joshua Gersen

336 21st St. #227

Miami Beach, FL 33139

Email: joshuagersen_gmail.com

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