James Feddeck joins the Memphis Symphony Orchestra this season as Assistant Conductor, having been appointed by MSO Music Director, David Loebel. In this position, he assists David Loebel, serves as cover conductor for MSO concerts, and participates in the planning and conducting of educational and family concerts.
A native of New York, Mr. Feddeck began his musical studies at age six on the piano, followed by the oboe and organ. He holds the unusual distinction of having been admitted to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music on all three instruments. As a Pi Kappa Lambda graduate from Oberlin, Mr. Feddeck received his undergraduate degrees in organ and oboe performance and a graduate degree in conducting. He was awarded Oberlin’s Selby Harlan Houston Prize for excellence in organ performance and music theory. At Oberlin he was music director of Mozart’s Così fan tutte, his first fully staged opera production, and had appearances with the conservatory orchestras, wind ensemble, and contemporary music ensemble. In 2006, he was invited by the Oberlin Orchestra to join them as assistant conductor on their concert tour in China. He has served as assistant conductor for Cleveland’s “Red {an orchestra]”, the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra, and the orchestras at the Oberlin Conservatory.
Mr. Feddeck continued his conducting studies at the University of Michigan and at the Aspen Music Festival and School. His conducting teachers include Bridget-Michaele Reischl, Kenneth Kiesler, Murry Sidlin, and David Zinman. He has participated in master classes with Gustav Meier, Patrick Summers, Harry Bicket and James Conlon.
Additionally active as an organist, Mr. Feddeck has performed recitals throughout Europe and North America, is winner of several competitions sponsored by the American Guild of Organists, and has been featured soloist in AGO national and regional conventions. The New York Times recognized Mr. Feddeck as an “impressive young soloist” for his guest performance at the New York City convention this past summer.
Mr. Feddeck was awarded Grand Prize at the 2006 Vakhtang Jordania International Conducting Competition by unanimous agreement and as the competition’s youngest participant. He was a finalist in 2007 auditions for the American Symphony Orchestra League’s conducting fellows program with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
As a conducting fellow of the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen, Mr. Feddeck was nominated for the Glimmerglass Opera Prize in 2006 and received the Robert J. Harth Conducting Prize in 2007. As the Robert J. Harth prize winner, he will return to Aspen as a conducting fellow in 2008, and will make his debut with The Cleveland Orchestra at the Blossom Music Festival at the invitation of David Zinman in August 2008.
E-mail Newsletter
