James DePreist American conductor Date of Birth: 21.11.1936 Country: USA

Biography of James DePreist

James DePreist, an American conductor, is one of the few African American conductors on the global stage. He currently serves as the conductor and orchestral faculty at the Juilliard School and holds the position of Honorary Music Director of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra.

Early Life and Education:
DePreist was born on November 21, 1936, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He comes from a musical family, with his mother's sister, Marian Anderson, being a renowned American contralto. His father passed away when he was young. DePreist studied composition under Vincent Persichetti at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music. He obtained a Bachelor's degree from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Master's degree from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.

Career:
In 1962, during a tour in Bangkok organized by the United States Department, DePreist contracted polio. Fortunately, he made a full recovery, allowing him to participate and ultimately win the gold medal at the Dimitris Mitropoulos International Conducting Competition. Leonard Bernstein then offered DePreist a position as assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic for the 1965-1966 season.

DePreist made his European debut in 1969, conducting the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1971, Antal Doráti selected him as the assistant conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. DePreist served as the musical director of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, Malmö Symphony Orchestra in Sweden, Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Oregon Symphony for over 30 years. He is currently the artistic consultant of the Pasadena Symphony.

As a guest conductor, DePreist has performed with numerous major orchestras in North America, including those in Amsterdam, Berlin, Budapest, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Manchester, Melbourne, Munich, Prague, Rome, Seoul, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, and Vienna. His London debut with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Arts Centre took place in April 2005. DePreist regularly performs at the Aspen Music Festival, Tanglewood with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra at the Mann Music Center, and with the Juilliard School Orchestra. He has made over 50 recordings, including a famous series of Shostakovich symphonies with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and 15 recordings with the Oregon Symphony. His latest recording is Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.

Accomplishments and Recognition:
In 1987 and 1989, DePreist published two books, "The Precipice Garden" and "The Distant Siren." He has been honored with thirteen honorary doctorates, the Order of the Lion from Finland, the Medal of the City of Québec, and the Ordre du Mérite Culture from the Principality of Monaco. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. In 2000, DePreist received the Ditson Conductor's Award. In 2005, President George W. Bush presented him with the National Medal of Arts.