Leif Bjaland was named the artistic director and conductor of the Florida West Coast Symphony in 1997. He is also serving his 22nd season as the artistic director of the Waterbury Symphony in

Waterbury, Connecticut Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut on the Naugatuck River, southwest of Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the second-largest city in New Haven County, Connecticut. According to the 2020 US Census, in 20 ...

. After receiving a master's degree in music from the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

, he began his career at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

, directing the

Yale Symphony Orchestra The Yale Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra at Yale University which performs in Yale's Woolsey Hall and tours internationally and domestically. The present Music Director is William Boughton. History The Yale Symphony Orchestra was fou ...

through many successful programs, including a tour of Europe in 1985. Bjaland has conducted and/or directed many illustrious orchestras throughout the world, including the Pacific Music Festival in Japan (for which he was selected by Leonard Bernstein and

Michael Tilson Thomas Michael Tilson Thomas (born December 21, 1944) is an American conductor, pianist and composer. He is Artistic Director Laureate of the New World Symphony, an American orchestral academy based in Miami Beach, Florida, Music Director Laureate of ...

), the

New World Symphony New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

in Miami, and the Chicago Symphony as part of the American Conductors Program. His various guest appearances include the

Kalamazoo Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. At the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropoli ...

Symphony, the World Youth Symphony at

Interlochen Interlochen ( ') is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Grand Traverse County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the population was 694, up from 583 at the 2010 census. The community is located wit ...

, the National Symphony, and the New Zealand Symphony.5295 Partners
/ref> In addition to his orchestral endeavors, Maestro Bjaland has operatic conducting experience. He has directed many different operas at the

Glimmerglass Opera The Glimmerglass Festival (formerly known as Glimmerglass Opera) is an American opera company. Founded in 1975 by Peter Macris, the Glimmerglass Festival presents an annual season of operas at the Alice Busch Opera Theater on Otsego Lake eight ...

and the Philippines Opera Company, amongst others.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bjaland, Leif American male conductors (music) Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Place of birth missing (living people) University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance alumni Yale University staff 21st-century American conductors (music) 21st-century American male musicians 20th-century American conductors (music) 20th-century American male musicians