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Eric Dale Knapp - Biography

International Haydn Festival - Artistic Director and Conductor …is a dynamic conductor whose commitment and energy empower the musicians he leads to give performances that stir the souls of his audiences. Maestro Knapp’smastery of the repertoire spans the full spectrum, from fresh yet authentic interpretations of traditional works to visionary performances of multimedia works of the new millennium. A versatile musical leader, equally adept with Classics and Pops, Knapp’s finely honed ability to communicate through both gesture and speech place him at the forefront of the rising conductors of his generation.

As Artistic Director and Conductor of the New Jersey Choral Society, Mr. Knapp has led NJCS to critical acclaim at home and abroad. He is also Conductor of the Connecticut Choral Society & Orchestra, Music Director for the Mark Thallander Foundation in Los Angeles, and Artistic Advisor for Kingsway International. Mr. Knapp is the founder and Music Director of Orchestra de Camerata and serves as Artistic Director of Chamber Music at Salisbury House, Des Moines, IA. He appeared as Artistic Director and Conductor of Voices in the House, with concerts at Town Hall and the Sydney Opera House in July 2006, and continues as Artistic Director of the Voices in the House International Festival in Sydney, Australia. From 1999-2007, Mr. Knapp was Conductor-in-Residence at MidAmerica Productions, where he conducted the New England Symphonic Ensemble and Festival Chorus annually at Carnegie Hall, and served as cover conductor for John Rutter. Mr. Knapp has appeared at distinctive concert halls worldwide including Carnegie Hall, The Sydney Opera House, Shanghai’s Oriental Art Center, The Forbidden City Concert Hall, The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Dvorak Hall and Vienna’s famed Musikverein.

 
Maestro Knapp led the North American Festival Chorus, Tianjin Conservatory Chorus and the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra in concerts of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 - July 2009. These concerts were presented in celebration of the 2008 Beijing Olympics as the finale to the Perform in Harmony with Olympic Spirit Festival produced by KIconcerts in Beijing and Shanghai, China.

Recent events and appearances include the 2005 European concert tour with the New Jersey Choral Society, conducting the Hastings Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall, the annual Mark Thallander Foundation Choral Festival at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, the PBS Television special From Galway to Broadway, as well as the New England Symphonic Ensemble and Festival Chorus at Carnegie Hall. Most notably the American Gospel Music Festival at Carnegie Hall with the American Festival Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. The event was met with critical acclaim. Honors include the Drake Award for career development and the subsequent appointment as a Drake Fellow for graduate study in conducting. He is a graduate of Drake University and has studied at The Juilliard School. Mr. Knapp is represented by Wade Artist Management – New York, NY.