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Presented in partnership with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Principal Oboe of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and the 2021 recipient of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence award and a 2021 Midsouth Regional Emmy winner for his work as film director on We Are Nashville. Titus performs the thrilling and exotic Spirit of the Wild oboe concerto by Australian composer Nigel Westlake.
DATE
Feb 8, 2025
7:00 PM
LOCATION
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art - Great Hall
600 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR 72712
PRICE
Titus Underwood is the Principal Oboist of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Gateways Music Festival, and co-principal of the Chineke! Orchestra. Underwood is also the Associate Professor of Oboe at the University of Cincinnati College- Conservatory of Music. In addition, Underwood is a faculty artist at the Aspen Music Festival, and National Youth Orchestras at Carnegie Hall. A fierce advocate for amplifying voices of the historically underrepresented, he co-founded the Black Orchestral Network (BON) and Sphinx Orchestral Partners Auditions (SOPA). His personal endeavors in digital media have led to multiple releases, notably the short film A Tale of Two Tails. Underwood also holds the honors of a Sphinx Medal of Excellence award for his ongoing commitment to leadership and community, and an Emmy Award for his work executive producing “We Are Nashville” with the Nashville Symphony. Underwood is a graduate of The Juilliard School, The Colburn School, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Visit www.titusunderwood.com to learn more.
Steven Byess is a dynamic and passionate conductor, hailed by critics as “masterful and brilliant,” “creating the epitome of instrumental elegance,” and capturing “the full spirit and vitality of the score perfectly.” Recognized for his musical versatility, multi-faceted presence on the podium, and passion for music education, he is devoted to promoting a life-long love and enthusiasm for music and the arts.
Steven is the music director of the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra, the Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Oregon), and the North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. He conducted the U.S. premiere of Russian violinist Alexander Markov’s Rock Concerto at Carnegie Hall in New York, and was selected by Walt Disney World Entertainment to conduct the 2000 NFL E*TRADE Super Bowl Halftime show, where he performed for a television audience of 88 million fans.
As a passionate advocate for the arts, Steven is sought after for his speeches on the arts, music, and education, and has organized collaborations with numerous choruses, chamber music ensembles, and festivals. He wrote and co-directed a PBS presentation, Count On It!, designed to connect music and mathematics for children grades K-3. Since 2013, he has shared this passion with over 80,000 children around the country as a conductor of the Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute Link Up orchestral education concerts.
A prolific conductor of opera from grand to contemporary, his performances include Puccini’s La Bohème and a critically acclaimed production of Robert Ward’s The Crucible at the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel; Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with Greensboro Opera; Bizet’s Carmen with Emerald City Opera (Colorado); Copland’s The Tender Land, Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance, and a collaboration with composer Ricky Ian Gordon on his opera “27” with Intermountain Opera (Montana); and Weill’s Street Scene and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance with the Eastman School of Music Opera Theatre. Steven has been a guest conductor at the Pine Mountain Music Festival in Michigan for their productions of Le tragédie de Carmen (Bizet/Brook), a highly acclaimed production of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide,collaborating with the composer’s daughter Jamie Bernstein, and Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte.
Steven is the former associate music director of the Ohio Light Opera where he conducted over 80 productions and 21 commercial recordings, including repertoire ranging from well- to little-known operas and operettas to blockbuster classic American musical theater works.