Derek Gleeson is Music Director and Conductor of the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra and the Rachmaninov Festival Orchestra. Born in Dublin, Ireland, (a U.S./Irish dual citizen), Derek Gleeson studied piano, percussion, composition and conducting at the music conservatories of Dublin, London and Vienna, and film scoring at the University of California, Los Angeles. By the age of 11, Gleeson was the recipient of many piano and percussion competition prizes within Ireland and Great Britain. At the age of 15 he was selected to represent Ireland as an orchestral musician in the European Community Youth Orchestra, where he had the opportunity to perform at the great European music festivals, such as Salzburg, Edinburgh and Lucerne Festivals under Maestros Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein and Sir George Solti. These early experiences moved him specifically toward a career in conducting. In 1984 he was a prize winner in the Shell/London Symphony Orchestra music scholarship program.
As a freelance musician, Gleeson performed with most of the British orchestras, including The London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Orchestras, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, as well as European jazz and pop ensembles (e.g., EuroJazz, NYJO, and Clannad) before directing his time exclusively to conducting and composition in 1989. He was Music Director of the Ruckert Orchestra of Dublin (1990 through 1993), and since 1997 he has been Music Director of The Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra.
“Thanks to the authority & dynamism of their young and talented conductor Derek Gleeson, the orchestra excelled itself.”
- The Irish Times (Dublin)
“His Mahler’s Fifth Symphony was glorious.”
-The Irish Times (Dublin)
An ardent champion of contemporary music, Gleeson has provided many premier performances of works by living composers, his own works also being performed in Europe and the U.S. In 2004, Gleeson’s concert work titled “Buenos Aires” premiered in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His recordings as conductor include premieres of contemporary American and Irish composers with The Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra and Philharmonia Bulgarica.
Derek Gleeson has conducted the premier CD recording of Tchaikovsky’s oratorio, Ode To Joy, The Original Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture, and Prokofiev’s Zdravitsa with The London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, (Carlton Classics/IMP Masters).
“Performances are entirely convincing, polished and stylish under Irish conductor Gleeson’s able leadership.”
- In Tune Magazine
“Derek Gleeson conducted with spirit . . . striking detail . . . A must for anyone who loves Russian music.”
- Classic CD Magazine
Amongst others, Gleeson has conducted The London Philharmonic Orchestra, the RTE Concert Orchestra (Ireland’s national broadcaster), The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, The Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra (Ireland), Orchestra Da Camera Fiorentina (Italy), The Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic, Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra, and Philharmonic Orchestra Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic), National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Bretagne (France), RTL Orchestra (Luxembourg), NOS Orchestra (Holland), The Ruckert Orchestra (Ireland), Szombathely-Savaria Symphony Orchestra (Hungary), The Danish Radio Concert Orchestra (Denmark), Orchestra of the Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet (England), Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonica Bulgarica, The Vratza Philharmonic, Plovdiv State Opera and Bourgas Opera-Philharmonic (Bulgaria), The Los Angeles Composers Guild Chamber Orchestra, and the Tehran Symphony Orchestra (Iran). Gleeson’s opera repertoire includes performances of Verdi’s La Traviata, Il Trovatore, Rigoletto, and Un Ballo in Maschera, Mozart’s La Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Magic Flute, Bizet’s Carmen, and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Gleeson conducted Rigoletto for the Anna Livia International Opera Festival in Dublin.
Anna Livia International Opera Festival
Conductor Derek Gleeson kept perfect pace and never overwhelmed the action . . . I doubt there has been a better Rigoletto in Dublin. The President of Ireland led a prolonged standing ovation, and deservedly so.
- The Sunday Business Post
Gleeson recorded the first Gaelic rendition of Prokofiev’s Peter & The Wolf. He conducts The Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra (“DPO”) in Carolan Suite on Patrick Cassidy’s CD, Deirdre of the Sorrows (BMG/Windham Hill), and with The DPO recorded and conducted American composer Don Ray’s orchestral suite, Family Portrait and the premier recording of Ray’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra with Philharmonia Bulgarica, released on Albany Records. He recorded Ray’s Homestead Dances with The DPO, released on Albany Records in 2007.
In 2009, as Music Director and Conductor, Gleeson and The Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra embarked on its inaugural United States ten week tour of 49-cities in 24 states, presented under the auspices of Columbia Artists Management, Inc. In July 2010, Gleeson and the all-Irish DPO toured China, performing at the Shanghai Grand Theatre’s World Expo Program, and two concerts opening the Beijing Festival summer season at the National Centre for the Performing Arts at the Opera House, televised throughout China to over 400 million people. The Orchestra returns to China in 2014/2015. Future tours include Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria.
Gleeson composed film scores for the feature films The White Pony (Director Brian Kelly), Irish Whiskey (Director Jon Stevens), Moving Target (Director Paul Ziller), The Doorway (Director Michael Druxman), Kitchen (Director Kieron Walsh) and additional music for The Suicide Club (Director Rachel Samuels). In addition to composing music for film, Gleeson is Director of Screen Training Ireland's Film Scoring Program, Dublin. He served as Composer Advisor to Moonstone International (sister company to Sundance Festival) and as Jury Chairman of the Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTA). Gleeson is the Designer and Program Director for Ireland’s first MA program studies in Scoring for Film and Visual Media, in association with Dublin Institute of Technology Conservatory of Music-Pulse College-Windmill Lane Recording Studios.
Anna Livia Dublin International Opera Festival
“Conductor Derek Gleeson kept perfect pace and never overwhelmed the action……I doubt if there has been a better Rigoletto in Dublin, The President of Ireland led a prolonged standing ovation, and deservedly so.”
- The Sunday Business Post
“Thanks to the authority & dynamism of their young and talented conductor Derek Gleeson, the orchestra excelled itself.”
- The Irish Times
“His Mahler’s Fifth Symphony was glorious.”
- The Irish Times
"Derek Gleeson, a rising star among conductors, delivers superb performances of music with immense interest."
- Records International
"Performances are entirely convincing, polished & stylish under Irish conductor Gleeson's able leadership."
- In Tune
"... a desirable recording for anyone who loves Russian music . . Conducting and playing - quite sensitive and alert."
- American Record Guide
"Something truly different comes along only rarely on recordings. The music is very fine . . . fascinating."
- CD Review
"A stunning CD"
- Jim Sveda, KUSC Radio (Los Angeles)
"A unique performance . . . altogether fascinating"
- Rich Caparella, Preview Hour, nationally syndicated, U.S.A.
"Tuite and Gleeson seemed in their element. Together, they created an elegiac stillness bordering on the ethereal. The well-matched ensemble was captivating in the finale.”
- Palm Beach Daily News (Palm Beach, Florida)
“The orchestra played with unity, richness, and clarity. Gleeson enforces discipline, coaxes out a varied dynamic range.”
- Orange County Register (Segerstrom Hall, Costa Mesa, CA)
Film Scoring – Music Audio Tracks
"A unique voice that resonates with a distinctive bold musical commentary."
Composer Derek Gleeson's music will enhance dramas, comedies and unusual subject matter with subtlety, simplicity, subtext and compelling underscore while propelling suspense and action films with driving rhythmic intensity, exhilarating textures and masterful orchestrations.
Gleeson possesses a musical vocabulary ranging from extensive classical to the most contemporary hip styles and genres, marry this with a production team that delivers high definition quality productions utilizing a combination of orchestra with the latest cutting edge technological innovations in synthesis and sampling and you get a world class Film Score Product.
ORCHESTRA FILM
MUSIC CUES
Reconciliation - mp3
San Francisco - mp3
Lunar - mp3
Another World - mp3
March of Trolls - mp3
Italia - mp3
Adagio - mp3
Action Cue - mp3
Contemporary Orchestra - mp3
San Francisco the Second - mp3
CONTEMPORARY FILM
MUSIC CUES
Intro and Main Title from Kitchen - mp3
Celtic Minimalist - mp3
The Docks Kitchen - mp3
Hiding in the Maze - mp3
Cool from the Kitchen - mp3
The Fight - mp3
The Doorway - mp3
Groove'n Again - mp3
Slow Groove from Kitchen - mp3
Suspense into Latin - mp3
Night Driving - mp3
I ate the apple - mp3
Derek Gleeson YouTube Video Guide
[click on the "Video" button on main page above to select and play clips]
Kitchen: A suspense drama film by Ecosse Films starring Eddie Izzard
The White Pony: some scenes from a children's movie about a magical pony who turns into a princess in the end, a leprechaun, and little girl.
Dvorak: New World Symphony, mvt #1, Dublin Philharmonic/Gleeson
Dvorak: New World Symphony, mvt #2, part 1, Dublin Philharmonic/Gleeson
Dvorak: New World Symphony, mvt #2, part 2, Dublin Philharmonic/Gleeson
Dvorak: New World Symphony, mvt #3
Dvorak: New World Symphony, mvt #4, part 1, Dublin Philharmonic/Gleeson
Dvorak: New World Symphony, mvt #4, part 2, Dublin Philharmonic/Gleeson
Compact Disc for sale:
CD Baby - Dvorak New World Symphony (CD) with Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra, Derek Gleeson, conductor
URL Link
external links:
Dublin Philharmonic URL Link
Derek Gleeson Film Scoring URL Link