Daniel Lewis (conductor)
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Daniel George Lewis (May 10, 1925 – July 7, 2017) was an American orchestral conductor and University Professor Emeritus at the
University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...
(USC).


Education

Trained as a violinist, Lewis studied at the Claremont Graduate School (now
Claremont Graduate University The Claremont Graduate University (CGU) is a private, all-graduate research university in Claremont, California, United States. Founded in 1925, CGU is a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium which includes five undergraduate and two grad ...
) and the Hochschule fuer Musik in Munich. He also spent time with the
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (, BRSO) is a German radio orchestra. Based in Munich, Germany, it is one of the city's four orchestras. The BRSO is one of two full-size symphony orchestras operated under the auspices of Bayerischer Rundf ...
.


Academic positions

Daniel Lewis arrived at the
USC Thornton School of Music The USC Thornton School of Music is a private music school in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1884 only four years after the University of Southern California, the Thornton School is the oldest continually operating arts institution in Los An ...
in 1970. As director of conducting studies and head of the orchestral music program, he helped make the USC Symphony one of the most respected conservatory ensembles in the nation. He was head of the School of Music from 1976 to 1995. In 1984, he became the first faculty member of the School of Music to receive the title of University Professor. Some notable quotes regarding his teaching style: * "He demands a kind of intensity with his orchestra. With Daniel Lewis, it was an event just to go to rehearsal. He has a genuine love for music and the ability to transfer those feelings in a way that inspires those who are making the sounds." ( Cynthia Phelps, principal
viola The viola ( , () ) is a string instrument of the violin family, and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins, and have a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the ...
,
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...
) * "He instills a discipline in his students. You're either ready or you're out" (Amy Sims, concertmaster, Omaha Symphony, former member of
Southwest Chamber Music Southwest Chamber Music is a chamber music ensemble (chamber ensemble) based in Los Angeles County, California. The organization was founded in 1987 by the artistic director Jeff von der Schmidt and the executive director Jan Karlin. One of the ...
) * "I'm not trying to create a battle or victory over them. I just want them to live up to what their potential is." (Daniel Lewis) He has also held academic positions at the
New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. The conservatory is located on Huntington Avenue along Avenue of the Arts (Boston), the Avenue of the Arts near Boston Symphony Ha ...
;
University of California, San Diego The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego in communications material, formerly and colloquially UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California, United States. Es ...
;
California State University, Fullerton California State University, Fullerton (CSUF or Cal State Fullerton) is a public research university in Fullerton, California, United States. With a total enrollment of more than 41,000, it has the largest student body of the California State ...
; and the
Colburn School The Colburn School is a private performing arts school in Los Angeles with a focus on music and dance. It consists of four divisions: the Conservatory of Music, Music Academy, Community School of Performing Arts and the Trudl Zipper Dance Instit ...
. He taught at the Conductors' Institute (New York), the Aspen School of Music, and many of the American Symphony Orchestra League's conducting workshops. In 1982, he served with
Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; born Louis Bernstein; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was th ...
as artistic co-director of the first season of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, and remained on the faculty for many seasons thereafter.


Orchestral appointments and guest conducting

From 1971 to 1982, he was Music Director of the Pasadena Symphony. Under Lewis' leadership, the orchestra became fully professional, winning critical acclaim and five ASCAP (
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadc ...
) awards for adventuresome programming. He has twice served as Music Director of the
Ojai Music Festival The Ojai Music Festival is an annual classical music festival in the United States. Held in Ojai, California (75 miles northwest of Los Angeles), for four days every June, the festival presents music, symposia, and educational programs emphasizi ...
, Music Director of the Cabrillo Music Festival, and musical advisor to the Glendale Symphony. He was Associate Conductor of the
San Diego Symphony The San Diego Symphony is an American symphony orchestra based in San Diego, California. The orchestra performs at Jacobs Music Center and the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. It serves as the orchestra for the San Diego Opera. History On December 6, ...
under Robert Shaw Lewis made his debut with the
Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. The orchestra holds a regular concert season from October until June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from ...
in 1974, and he has guest-conducted that orchestra in more than 30 concerts at the
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center, which is one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States. The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt ...
and the
Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and Urban park, public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018 and was listed on ...
. He has also been a guest conductor with the
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) is an American chamber orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. LACO presents its Orchestral Series concerts at two venues, the Alex Theatre in Glendale and UCLA's Royce Hall. History James Arkatov, ...
,
Minnesota Orchestra The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall. History Th ...
,
Atlanta Symphony Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
,
Seattle Symphony The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra also serves as the accompanying orchestra for the Seattle Opera. History Beginnings The orchest ...
, Louisville Symphony, as well as several other American and European ensembles.


Personal life

Lewis married Oneta Gwendolyn Belsha during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. They met while attending
Grossmont High School Grossmont High School is a public high school in eastern San Diego County, California. Opened in 1920, it is the oldest public high school in East County and the first of twelve high schools currently in Grossmont Union High School District. ...
in
El Cajon, California El Cajon ( , ; Spanish language, Spanish: El Cajón, lit. 'the box') is a city in San Diego County, California, United States, east of downtown San Diego. The city takes its name from Rancho El Cajon, Rancho El Cajón, which was named for the ...
. They had six children, fifteen grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren. Lewis enlisted in the US Navy during World War II and served in the Pacific. After the war, he completed his education at
San Diego State College San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1897, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system. SDSU is ...
. Prior to accepting a position at Fullerton State College, Lewis taught music at
Helix High School Helix High School, or Helix Charter High School, is a charter high school in La Mesa, California, built in 1952. It received its charter in 1998. Helix is part of Grossmont Union High School District, and serves a mid-level socioeconomic co ...
in La Mesa. Its band won many awards in various competitions under his leadership. In addition, he was the founding music director of the San Diego Civic Youth Orchestra, which rehearsed at the high school and provided an opportunity for very advanced high-school-aged musicians to perform with a group of their peers. He also taught at
Grossmont College Grossmont College is a public community college in El Cajon, California. Its name originated with the silent film actor and producer William J. Gross, who was enticed by Ed Fletcher to invest in the purchase of land, part of which was called Gro ...
in El Cajon. In order to provide a better life for his large family in San Diego, Lewis often worked extra jobs at night. He would perform at night in various orchestras such as Starlight Opera and the San Diego ice show. From time to time he also taught
violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...
to private students. This enabled the family to maintain a nice 2-story home in
San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
with a large yard and plenty of room for six children. At one time, Lewis was Concertmaster of the
San Diego Symphony The San Diego Symphony is an American symphony orchestra based in San Diego, California. The orchestra performs at Jacobs Music Center and the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. It serves as the orchestra for the San Diego Opera. History On December 6, ...
. In 1959 Lewis received a
Fulbright Scholarship The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people ...
to study music in
Munich, Germany Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
, where he and his family lived for about 10 months.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Daniel 1925 births 2017 deaths American conductors (music) American male conductors (music) American expatriates in Germany Aspen Music Festival and School faculty Claremont Graduate University alumni USC Thornton School of Music faculty University of California, San Diego faculty California State University, Fullerton faculty New England Conservatory faculty University of Music and Theatre Munich alumni Grossmont High School alumni