Professor of Music
David E. Becker was appointed director of orchestral studies at the Lawrence
University Conservatory of Music (WI) beginning September 2005. He was director
of orchestras and professor of the Graduate Orchestral Conducting Program
at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1984-2005. Maestro Becker and
the UW Symphony Orchestra received critical acclaim for their international
tours to Central Europe (1998) and Spain (2001). He was the associate conductor
of the Madison Symphony (1985-1992) and music director/conductor of the Racine
Symphony (WI) (1989-1993).
Before coming to Madison in 1984, he was director of orchestras and graduate
conducting at the University of Miami, Coral Gables. He went to Miami in
1980
from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music where he was associate professor
of applied viola and conductor of the String Arts Ensemble. During the 1980-82
seasons, Mr. Becker was appointed assistant conductor for Maestro Rainer
Miedel and the Florida Philharmonic (Miami). Other resident conducting appointments
have included the Northern Ohio (Oberlin), Wisconsin (Madison), and Greater
Miami (FL) Youth Symphony Orchestras, and the Brevard (NC) Summer Music
Festival.
Becker's career as a violist has included the Atlanta, Syracuse, Savannah,
Louisville, Memphis, and Madison Symphonies, the Santa Fe and Miami Operas,
the Sewanee (TN), Brevard (NC), and Peninsula (WI) Summer Music Festivals,
the resident faculty string quartets at the Universities of Miami, Georgia,
Memphis State, and Oberlin Conservatory, the Capella Academica Wien (Austria),
and the Eduard Melkus String Quartet touring in the U.S. and Europe.
In addition to his active conducting and performing schedule, Becker
is widely recognized for his dedication to teaching young musicians which
has
resulted in guest conducting, orchestral clinics and All-State Honor Orchestras
in 36 states.
Contact by email: david.e.becker@lawrence.edu
