The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) has named ANDRÉ J. THOMAS as LSO Associate Artist for a period of three years.
Thomas, a leading American specialist in Afro-American Music, is a Visiting Professor of Conducting and Interim Conductor of the Yale Camerata and an Emeritus Professor of Music at Florida State University.
Associate Artist is a new role created for musicians with distinct influences and style that are intended to add richness to the LSO.
Thomas will create his own programmes in collaboration with the orchestra and contribute to the repertoire choices for other programmes throughout the season.
During 2022 he will conduct the orchestra for two concerts of gospel symphonic music and a third of pure symphonic music, featuring works by African American composers Carlos Simon, Wynton Marsalis and Joel Thompson.
“I am looking forward to introducing more of the emerging Afro-American composing talent to audiences in the UK, whose influences and references include the great American gospel tradition, which in turn develops a unique African American musical voice,” he said.