Hailed by the Boston Phoenix as “…both an inspired conductor…and an inspired programmer,” Courtney Lewis is quickly becoming recognized as one of today’s top emerging talents.  He is founder and music director of Boston’s acclaimed Discovery Ensemble, a chamber orchestra with the mission of introducing inner-city school children to classical music while bringing new and unusual repertoire to established concert audiences.  Lewis is also Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, where he regularly conducts Young People’s concerts, outdoor concerts, and other performances, making a successful subscription debut in the 2011/12 season.

In November 2008 Lewis made his major American orchestra debut with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. Other recent and upcoming appearances include returns to the St. Louis Symphony and the Ulster Orchestra (for a series of BBC Radio 3 Invitation Concerts as well as on subscription) and debuts with the Colorado and New Hampshire Music Festivals as well as the Atlanta and Memphis symphonies, the Naples Philharmonic, Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra.  Appointed a Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the 2011/12 season, he made his debut with that orchestra in fall 2011, returning for additional performances in the spring. 

Hailed by the Boston Phoenix as “…both an inspired conductor…and an inspired programmer,” Courtney Lewis is quickly becoming recognized as one of today’s top emerging talents.  He is founder and music director of Boston’s acclaimed Discovery Ensemble, a chamber orchestra with the mission of introducing inner-city school children to classical music while bringing new and unusual repertoire to established concert audiences.  Lewis is also Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, where he regularly conducts Young People’s concerts, outdoor concerts, and other performances, making a successful subscription debut in the 2011/12 season.

In November 2008 Lewis made his major American orchestra debut with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. Other recent and upcoming appearances include returns to the St. Louis Symphony and the Ulster Orchestra (for a series of BBC Radio 3 Invitation Concerts as well as on subscription) and debuts with the Colorado and New Hampshire Music Festivals as well as the Atlanta and Memphis symphonies, the Naples Philharmonic, Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra.  Appointed a Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the 2011/12 season, he made his debut with that orchestra in fall 2011, returning for additional performances in the spring.  

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Lewis attended the University of Cambridge, during which time he studied composition with Robin Holloway and clarinet with Dame Thea King, graduating with starred first class honors.  After completing a master’s degree with a focus on the late music of György Ligeti, he attended the Royal Northern College of Music, where his teachers included Sir Mark Elder and Clark Rundell.

Last updated October 2012. Contact Opus 3 Artists for the most up-to-date version.