Ormsby Wilkins named ABT music director

[Dale]

ORMSBY WILKINS NAMED MUSIC DIRECTOR

AT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE

Ormsby Wilkins, Music Director and Principal Conductor at the National Ballet of Canada since 1990, has been named Music Director of American Ballet Theatre, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Wilkins, whose appointment becomes effective immediately, has been a guest conductor with American Ballet Theatre since 2000. A native of Australia, he started his music studies at the Conservatories of Sydney and Melbourne. He joined The Australian Ballet and became its resident conductor in 1982. In 1983, he was appointed conductor with England’s Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (now the Birmingham Royal Ballet) and toured widely with the company during his tenure before joining the National Ballet of Canada in 1990.

Wilkins has conducted orchestras around the world, both in association with ballet and in concert. His international engagements have included La Scala, Milan in 1997 and 2001, the Rome Opera Ballet in 1998 and the Ballet of Teatro San Carlo of Naples in 1999. Some of the many orchestras Wilkins has conducted include the Philharmonia and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras of London, The Royal Opera House Orchestra, Winnipeg Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, Tokyo Philharmonic and the National Arts Center Orchestra. He has also served as guest conductor with The Australian Ballet for extensive engagements in the United States, England and Russia.

Wilkins will remain Music Director and Principal Conductor for the National Ballet of Canada throughout the 2005-06 season.

[Farrell Fan]

Congratulations to Mr. Wilkins. He did a wonderful job conducting the Suzanne Farrell Ballet's revival of Balanchine's Don Quixote at the Kennedy Center this past June.