“James Lowe is the Spokane Symphony Orchestra’s new music director,” reads an unsigned article in Tuesday’s (6/25) Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA). Executive Director Jeff vom Saal “made the announcement Tuesday morning … Lowe, who grew up in Nottingham, England, is chief conductor of the Vaasa City Orchestra in Finland. He was one of five conductors featured in ‘Conduct! Every Move Counts,’ a documentary centered around the Sir Georg Solti Conducting Competition, which was shown at the Spokane International Film Festival in 2017. Lowe is also principal conductor of the Edinburgh Contemporary Music Ensemble and has worked with orchestras throughout Europe. Educated at the University of Edinburgh, Lowe continued his development as Benjamin Zander Conducting Fellow with the Boston Philharmonic and with Jorma Panula, Neeme Järvi, Bernard Haitink and Valery Gergiev.… Lowe was picked from five finalists, each of whom spent a week with the orchestra … His appointment is the end of a two-year process to replace Eckart Preu, who ended his 15 years with the symphony in May.” Lowe’s conducts his first concerts as Spokane Symphony’s music director in September 2019. He will throw out the first pitch at the Spokane Indians baseball game on June 27 at Avista Stadium.
Posted June 26, 2019
Photo of James Lowe by Jen Owens
