| Biography | Brian Wright studied conducting as a Gulbenkian scholar in London and Munich, working closely with George Hurst, Jascha Horenstein and Rudolf Kempe. He won the Silver Medal in the Guido Cantelli Conducting Competition at La Scala, Milan, and Second Prize in the Rupert Foundation Competition with the London Symphony Orchestra. He was Assistant to André Previn and the LSO and then Associate Conductor to the BBC, conducting concerts and broadcasts with all the BBC's orchestras.
Brian won particular praise for performances of Berliozs Grande Messe des Morts and Liszts Christus at the BBC Proms with the BBC Symphony and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras, as well as for UK premières of Lutoslawski and Penderecki and the world première of Robert Simpsons 7th Symphony. He conducted the BBCSO for Ballet Rambert in an acclaimed BBC2 production of Stravinsky's Pulcinella - commercially available on DVD. In 2005 he conducted the opening concert of BBC Radio 3s Beethoven Experience.
Brian has conducted the LSO, BBCSO, RPO, Philharmonia and London Philharmonic at Londons Royal Festival and Barbican Halls. He has been a guest conductor with all of the other major British orchestras: BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony, City of Birmingham Symphony, English Chamber, Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National and Ulster Orchestra. He toured in Europe with the BBCSO, in Europe and in the Far East with the RPO, and has been a guest conductor in Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Mexico, Romania, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the USA. He has recorded for the EMI, Decca, Teldec, Crystal and Regis Tro labels.
Brian enjoys a close association with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, regularly conducting in their London International Series and touring China in 2000/1. Two of his concerts with the RPO in 2010 featured Beethovens Eroica Symphony. Recently he was a guest conductor in Norway and Slovenia, and Romania where he returned in 2011. He is also Music Director of the highly regarded UK community orchestra Maidstone Symphony Orchestra and celebrated their centenary in 2011 with the premiere of Three Portraits from Arthur, a commission from John McCabe.
Brian is renowned for his performances of the symphonic choral repertoire. He was Conductor of the BBC Symphony Chorus for 10 years and has been Music Director of Goldsmiths Choral Union in London for nearly 40 years. A highlight of 2006/7 was an acclaimed broadcast performance of Berliozs Grande Messe des Morts for the RPO at the Royal Albert Hall. In recent seasons he conducted Elgars Dream of Gerontius, Berliozs Te Deum and Verdis Requiem for the RPO at the RAH. 2010/11 brought a programme of Richard Strausss Four Last Songs and Brahmss Ein deutsches Requiem at the Royal Festival Hall and Bachs St. Matthew Passion at Cadogan Hall. 2011/12 brought Vaughan Williamss A Sea Symphony at the RAH and Mozarts C minor Mass at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Autumn 2012 brings Mendelssohns Elijah at the RFH and Handels Messiah at the RAH. |