Emory jazz Fest - Arts at Emory - Emory University

emory univerSity SymPhony orcheStra
the emory university symphony orchestra (euso) experience provides a
musical environment of the highest caliber, nurturing individual artistic
excellence and ensemble performance. the euso presents a varied repertoire
of music from the baroque period to the twenty-first century, often combining
forces with the emory choirs to feature masterworks of the rich symphonicchoral
tradition. the one hundred-member orchestra draws its membership
from all disciplines across the campus and from all divisions of the university.
richard prior, conductor
richard prior’s musical training began in his native england,
where he received a ba with high honors from leeds university
and an amusd degree in conducting and composition from
nottingham university. he has been reviewed in the press as
having “stirring conviction,” “precision,” and “stylishness and
flexibility,” with one article citing the “meteoric rise” of
ensembles under his direction. prior’s principal teachers include
sir simon rattle, James paul, and James fulkerson, among
others. previous faculty appointments include oklahoma state university (osu),
southeastern louisiana university, davidson college, franklin & marshall college,
and st. catherine’s college (oxford university), where he was the 1997 visiting
fellow in music. prior is director of orchestral studies at emory where he conducts
the university and youth symphonies and is also music director and conductor of
the rome symphony orchestra (Georgia).
prior was a selected participant in the 2001 pierre boulez professional
training workshop at carnegie hall (new york) and the 2002 conductors’
workshop of america. he was the recipient of the osu 2003 wise-diggs-berry
faculty award for teaching excellence in the arts and the 2004 Golden torch
faculty award for outstanding scholarship, leadership, and service. in 2008,
prior won the harvey philips award for excellence in composition, presented
at the cincinnati conservatory of music for his work diversions. he was the
2009–2010 recipient of emory university’s winship faculty award and the
2011 crystal apple award for excellence in undergraduate education.
in demand as an adjudicator and clinician, prior has conducted numerous
honor and all-state orchestras and led a variety of professional consortiums
from the new york philharmonic, chicago symphony, atlanta symphony, and
minnesota orchestra. prior has made guest appearances with the charlotte
symphony, the new orleans civic symphony, the rome symphony orchestra,
the odessa philharmonic (ukraine), and the wilmington community orchestra
(delaware), among others. he holds memberships in the american symphony
orchestra league, the conductors Guild, bmi, the Georgia music educators
association, the national association for music education, phi mu alpha
sinfonia, and kappa kappa psi. prior is a founding member and past president
of the college orchestra directors association (coda), south central division.
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