March 6, 2023 I Rock Hill, SC – Rock Hill Symphony has announced Christopher James
Lees as its newly appointed Music Director and Conductor. This highly anticipated and
long awaited announcement comes on the heels of the symphony’s successful fifth
season in Rock Hill.
An emerging American conductor, Christopher James Lees, brings passionate and
nuanced orchestral performances to the stage, a fierce commitment to contemporary
music and a natural charisma to audiences all around the world. Mr. Lees will assume
artistic leadership of the Rock Hill Symphony immediately, while remaining in his role as
Resident Conductor for the Charlotte Symphony, an appointment he began in 2018.
“We are elated to be able to hire someone with the breadth of experience Mr. Lees
has,” says Sarah Lynn Hayes, President of the Rock Hill Symphony. “Mr. Lees has
conducted symphonies all over the world with engagements that have taken him
to the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Orchestra de Chambre de Paris, Aspen
Philharmonic Orchestra, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, and the Music in the Mountains
Festival & Festival Internacional de Inverno de Campos do Jordão in Brazil.”
“We are delighted to introduce him to our esteemed patrons and sponsors who have
supported us so graciously throughout this process,” added Hayes.
An active guest conductor, Mr. Lees has performed a variety of programs with top
orchestras across the country, from the New York Philharmonic to the Los Angeles
Philharmonic, as well with the Houston, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Kansas City,
Fort Worth and New World Symphony Orchestras.
Only the second American Gustavo Dudamel Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles
Philharmonic, Mr. Lees is also a winner of the James Conlon Conducting Prize and the
Aspen Conducting Prize from the Aspen Music Festival and School.
An active pianist, and equally comfortable in the opera pit, Mr. Lees has served as
Music Director or Assistant Conductor for an impressive wide array of operas: Aida
(Atlanta Symphony), Peter Grimes & John Harbison’s The Great Gatsby (Aspen Opera
Theatre Center), Louis Andriessen’s De Materie, and Philip Glass’ the CIVIL warS (Los
Angeles Philharmonic), Don Giovanni & Mark Adamo’s Little Women, (University of
Michigan Opera Theatre), and Nino Rota’s Il Capello di paglia di Firenze (AJ Fletcher
Opera Institute).
A dedicated advocate for music of our time, Mr. Lees has premiered more than one
hundred fifty new works by a diverse range of composers, and collaborated
closely with Pulitzer Prize winners John Adams, William Bolcom, John Corigliano,
Jennifer Higdon, Joseph Schwantner, Steven Stucky, Caroline Shaw, Roger Reynolds,
and Julia Wolfe.
Mr. Lees is a native of Washington, D.C., and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees
from the University of Michigan. His musical education has also included close study
with luminary conductors Robert Spano, Michael Tilson Thomas, Lorin Maazel and
Larry Rachleff.
The Rock Hill Symphony looks forward to introducing Mr. Lees to the Rock Hill and
surrounding communities beginning with his guest appearance at its Overture Gala
on Thursday, March 23 at the Center for the Arts. Visit rhsymphony.org for details and
ticket information.
