Michael Francis (born 1976) is a British conductor.

Biography

Francis learnt the double bass as a youth. He was a member of the

European Union Youth Orchestra The European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) is a youth orchestra with members drawn from the 27 members states of the European Union. Since its foundation in 1976, it has connected music colleges and the professional music world for generations o ...

, and graduated in 1997 from The

Cardiff University , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...

School of Music A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger ins ...

. He played the

double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...

for the

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

before he began conducting. His first public performance as conductor of a major orchestra occurred in January 2007 when he deputised for Valery Gergiev. In Europe, Francis became chief conductor and artistic adviser to the

Norrköping Symphony Orchestra The Norrköping Symphony Orchestra ( sv, Norrköpings Symfoniorkester) is a Swedish professional symphony orchestra. It is based at the concert hall De Geerhallen, in the center of Norrköping. History The orchestra was founded in 1912, a ...

in 2012, and held the post through 2016. In December 2016, Francis first guest-conducted the

Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz The Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz (State Philharmonic of Rhineland-Palatinate) is the largest and leading symphony orchestra of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, based in Ludwigshafen am Rhein. It gives concerts in Rhineland-Palati ...

. In December 2018, the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz announced the appointment of Francis as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2019-2020 season, with an initial contract of 5 years. In the USA, Francis became music director of

The Florida Orchestra The Florida Orchestra is an American orchestra based in the tri-city area of Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg, Florida. It was founded as the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony upon the 1968 merger of the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra and the T ...

as of the 2015-2016 season, with an initial contract of 3 years. His current contract with The Florida Orchestra is through 2025. He became music director of the Mainly Mozart Festival (

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

, California, USA) in the summer of 2015. Francis lives in Florida with his American wife Cindy and their daughter.

References

External links

Official homepage of Michael Francis

KD Schmid agency profile of Michael Francis

Interview bei Classicpoint.net

Feenotes.com Profile
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Francis, Michael British male conductors (music) Living people British double-bassists Male double-bassists Alumni of Cardiff University 1976 births Welsh conductors (music) London Symphony Orchestra players 21st-century British conductors (music) 21st-century double-bassists