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Artist Biographies

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Concert Program

Concert Program

Christopher James Lees

resident conductor

Emerging American conductor Christopher James Lees brings passionate and nuanced orchestral performances to the stage, a fierce commitment to contemporary music, and a natural charisma to audiences all around the world.

In 2018, Mr. Lees began an appointment as Resident Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and Principal Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra. In addition to the more than 50 annual concert appearances with the CSO, he has stepped in to conduct Subscription Classical performances on four occasions, including a gala weekend with Grammy Award winning artist and Jazz legend Branford Marsalis in May 2021.

This season, Mr. Lees makes his debuts with the New York Philharmonic and the New World Symphony. An active guest conductor, Mr. Lees has returned for performances with the Los Angeles and Rochester Philharmonics, the Houston, Detroit, Milwaukee, North Carolina, Portland, and Flint Symphonies, and conducted debuts with the Indianapolis, Kansas City, Toledo, and Vermont Symphonies.

Additional engagements have taken him to the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Orchestra de Chambre de Paris, Aspen Philharmonic Orchestra, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, and at the Music in the Mountains Festival & Festival Internacional de Inverno de Campos do Jordão in Brazil.

Only the second American Gustavo Dudamel Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Mr. Lees made his debut with the orchestra in April 2013 and returned for concerts in February 2015.

With the New York Philharmonic, St. Louis & Atlanta Symphonies, among others, Mr. Lees has served as assistant conductor for the world’s leading conductors, including Gustavo Dudamel, Paavo Järvi, Herbert Blomstedt, Leonard Slatkin, Robert Spano, Marin Alsop, Pablo Heras-Casado, Stéphane Danève, Susanna Mälkki, and Nicholas McGegan.

A recipient of a Career Assistance Grant from the Solti Foundation US, Mr. Lees was also chosen for showcase on the Bruno Walter Memorial Foundation National Conductor Preview, hosted by the League of American Orchestras and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

A dedicated advocate for music of our time, Mr. Lees has premiered more than one hundred fifty new works by a diverse range of composers, and collaborated closely with Pulitzer Prize winners John Adams, William Bolcom, John Corigliano, Jennifer Higdon, Joseph Schwantner, Steven Stucky, Caroline Shaw, Roger Reynolds, and Julia Wolfe.

An equally passionate advocate for music education, Mr. Lees has brought inspirational energy to student orchestras across the country, from the Colburn School to the New England Conservatory, and previously served on the faculties of the University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

A native of Washington, D.C., Mr. Lees holds bachelors and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan, and has studied conducting with Larry Rachleff and Robert Spano, as well as having participated in masterclasses with Lorin Maazel, Michael Tilson Thomas, Gustav Meier, and Jorma Panula.

When not performing, Mr. Lees can be found building Lego sets with his six year old son, reading the stack of books by his nightstand, or training outdoors for his next 10K road race.

Chloe Lowery

vocalist

Chloe Lowery is an American singer/dancer/actress/ songwriter born in Largo, Florida. By the age of nine she was performing professionally at corporate events and by age 12 she was signed to RCA Records. She was featured on two movie soundtracks during that time, Boys and Girls and Joe Somebody.

While honing her crafts at prestigious music and acting schools in Boston and New York City, she toured with Big Brother and the Holding Company filling Janis Joplin’s shoes. Chloe simultaneously worked closely with worldrenowned producer, Ric Wake that led to her collaboration with Yanni. Chloe lent her vocals and songwriting talents to the 2009 Yanni Voices Project produced by the Disney Pearl Imprint. She was featured on PBS as a featured artist in “Yanni Voices Live from Acapulco.” Her most successful performance/release, Change, quickly became a fan favorite. After US and Mexico Tours with Yanni, she was signed to Disney/Hollywood Records as a solo artist. Chloe has since been featured on Yanni’s releases Truth of Touch, Inspirato, and Sensuous Chill as vocalist and songwriter.

In the spring of 2010, Chloe joined multi-platinum selling rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra performing as Theresa on their Beethoven’s Last Night Tours. Lowery joined their annual winter tour in 2011 to rave reviews for her renditions of “For the Sake of our Brother (Oh Come all Ye Faithful),” “Prince of Peace,” and “Music Box Blues.” Chloe continues to work with TSO on stage and in the studio.

Lowery has since had the privilege to tour with Chris Botti, perform with the New York City Ballet as a featured vocalist, and contribute her songwriting talents for artists like Everclear, among other accomplishments.

In 2018, Lowery made her Broadway Debut in Rocktopia leading the show with the likes of Pat Monahan (Train), Dee Snider (Twister Sister), and Robin Zander (Cheap Trick). She continued to tour the project and be part of their acclaimed PBS special. Other recent credits include Trans Siberian Orchestra Live at Wacken and Winter Tours, featured vocalist on Joel Hoekstra’s album 13, featured artist on Phantasm’s The Deviant Hearts album, lead vocalist in The Rock Tenor, Broadway Rox, The Music of Queen, CHAMELEON, Forbidden Saints and Friends @ Nokia L.A Live, and many more.

In 2019, Lowery released her critically acclaimed debut solo album, The In-Between, which she self-penned and produced from her Brooklyn Apartment. The album touches on the emotional phases one goes through when facing monumental change. It explores the highs and lows of heartbreak ending with the emotional “Don’t Let Yourself Down,” which touches on the root of self-discovery and acceptance. Not only did she record a full-length album that seamlessly flows as one storyline, but she also created music videos as a visual background to every song and interlude on the record furthermore depicting the full emotional ark of the album. The record is available on all streaming platforms as well as her website:

chloelowery.com

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