Biography
One
of the foremost ballet conductors at work today, David Briskin is renowned for
the scope of his repertoire and the depth and beauty of his interpretations.
Whether in the classical or contemporary idiom, from works steeped in tradition
to cutting edge modern compositions, Mr. Briskin brings a sure hand and a
sensitive understanding to the dramatic and choreographic life of the music he
conducts.
Before
joining The National Ballet of Canada in 2006, Mr. Briskin served as conductor
with American Ballet Theatre in New York City for seven years, directing
performances at the Metropolitan Opera House, City Center and numerous ballet
and opera houses around the world.
In demand as a guest conductor, Mr.
Briskin has worked most recently with such companies as New York City Ballet
and San Francisco Ballet. Later this season, he will make his debut at
Covent Garden in London conducting The Royal Ballet. He has appeared with
The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Houston Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de
Montréal and Alberta Ballet among others. For three seasons, Mr. Briskin served
as Music Director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and was Conductor for The
Juilliard School’s Dance Division from 1993 to 2005. In 2008, Mr.
Briskin was appointed Assistant Professor and Director of Orchestral Studies at
the University of Toronto Faculty of Music.
Mr.
Briskin’s versatility has also seen him conduct symphony and opera productions
throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, with such orchestras as the
Pittsburgh, Detroit, Baltimore, Indianapolis and Windsor Symphony Orchestras,
the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa
Rica, and with such opera companies as Calgary Opera, Manitoba Opera, Opera
Carolina, Lake George Opera and Sarasota Opera. In addition, he served for six
years as Music Director of the Masterwork Chorus and Orchestra in New York. Mr.
Briskin attended the prestigious Indiana University School of Music and
received a Bachelor of Music Degree in orchestral conducting from the
University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Master’s Degree
from Queens College, City University of New York.
Quotes
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
“the music, composed by Joby Talbot and rendered with the kind of skill and precision we have come to expect from the NBOC Orchestra under the baton of David Briskin, seems designed first and foremost to serve this fanciful production.”
Toronto Sun, 2011
Onegin
“Conductor David Briskin draws out every note of heartache in Tchaikovsky's haunting score.”
The National Post, 2010
The Four Seasons
“conductor David Briskin gives a powerfully nuanced reading of Vivaldi’s famous score.”
The Globe and Mail, 2010