On June 5, the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra and Dance Company will perform at David Geffen Hall in NYC as part of the NY Phil Biennial. Christopher Rountree is a young American conductor and composer committed to bringing contemporary music to a broader audience. He will be conducting the Orchestra for the Biennial in June and has visited campus a number of times to work with the students in preparation for the performance.
Rountree is the founder, conductor and creative director of the experimental classical ensemble wild UP. As a conductor, his approach is known for it's "infectious enthusiasm" (LA Times) and "elegant clarity" (NY Times).
A real evangelist for contemporary music, he sat down with IPR's Meg Gruits to talk about what he finds compelling about working with living composers and how exciting it is to be working with the students on this project.