Friday, February 7, 2014

Chris T. Gray, Assistant Orchestral Conductor, Central Michigan University, Conducts 'Hungarian Dance No. 5' of Johannes Brahms on YouTube



- Hungarian Dance No. 5 - Johannes Brahms
Chris T. Gray, Assistant Orchestral Conductor,
Central Michigan University Orchestra
October 21, 2013

Chris T. Gray writes:


“I am an African American conductor from Detroit, MI born February 19, 1985. I have studied conducting with Dr. Carl Haywood - conducting and choral professor at Norfolk State University, Benjamin Rous - Resident conductor of the Virginia Symphony, and Dr. José-Luis Maúrtua - Orchestral Director, Central Michigan University."  “I am preparing for a conducting audition with the Pierre Monteux School this summer...”

"My goal as a conductor is to show the world that great conductors come from an array of different backgrounds, including my very humble beginnings in Detroit, MI. My conducting career started in high school and eventually led me to Norfolk State University, where I was an undergraduate music education major. While at NSU, I led the Spartan Legion Marching Band, University Wind Ensemble, and other student run ensembles through pieces both orchestrated and composed by myself. It was during my encounter with the Virginia Symphony while in Virginia that my affinity for orchestra completely took over. I am now studying orchestral conducting at Central Michigan University with Dr. José-Luis Maúrtua, where I am the assistant orchestral conductor, a position I feel very fortunate to have. Conducting has taken over my life and it is now shaping the way for what I see as a remarkable and passion driven future.”

“The performance of the Polovtsian March will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014 in the Staples Family Concert Hall, on the campus of Central Michigan University. This is the only piece I will be conducting in this concert and it is roughly five minutes long. This concert will feature all Russian composers. I will open the concert with my piece.”

“I will have a professional video of the Borodin piece on youtube.com sometime after the performance next week. In addition, I do have a professional video of my first performance with the CMU orchestra on youtube from October 31, 2013. The link is as follows:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNldAz9G4VM - Hungarian Dance No. 5 - Johannes Brahms”

Chris Gray

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