Courtney Lewis

Courtney Lewis (born 29 May 1984, Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a British conductor. He is currently music director of the Jacksonville Symphony.

Biography

Lewis was a pupil at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution.[1] He attended the University of Cambridge,[2] during which time he studied composition with Robin Holloway and clarinet with Dame Thea King, and conducted several students ensembles.[1] He graduated from Cambridge with starred first-class honours. After completing a master's degree with a focus on the music of György Ligeti, he attended the Royal Northern College of Music, where his teachers included Sir Mark Elder and Clark Rundell.

Lewis was the co-founder and music director of Boston's Discovery Ensemble from 2008 until 2014, when the ensemble ended operations after its board declared a fundraising impasse.[3] Lewis made his major American orchestral debut in November 2008 with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.[1] Lewis served as associate conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra from 2009 to 2014. He was a Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. From 2014 to 2016, he was an assistant conductor with the New York Philharmonic.[4]

In 2014, Lewis was appointed music director of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra (now the Jacksonville Symphony), effective with the 2015-2016 season. In August 2020, the Jacksonville Symphony announced an extension of Lewis' contract as its music director, through the 2023–2024 season.[5] In October 2022, the orchestra announced a further extension of Lewis' contract through 30 June 2027.[6] In December 2025, the Jacksonville Symphony announced the most recent extension of Lewis' contract as its music director through the 2031-2032 season.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c Michael Dervan (12 January 2016). "Conductor Courtney Lewis: 'I didn't want the lonely existence of staring at a blank page'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  2. ^ Danny Kelly (4 September 2014). "The Cult of Courtney Lewis, the new Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra Musical Director". Folio 2.0. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  3. ^ Jeremy Eichler (23 July 2014). "Discovery Ensemble suddenly ceases operations". Boston Globe. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  4. ^ Marilyn Young (26 September 2014). "Courtney Lewis finding a new sound with Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra". Jax Daily Record. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  5. ^ Tom Szaroleta (12 August 2020). "Symphony extends Courtney Lewis's contract for three years". Florida Times-Union. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Jacksonville Symphony Extends Contract with Music Director Courtney Lewis" (PDF) (Press release). Jacksonville Symphony. 10 October 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Jacksonville Symphony Extends Music Director Courtney Lewis' Contract Through 2032" (PDF) (Press release). Jacksonville Symphony. 10 December 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
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