Christopher Dragon
Music Director
The GSO is thrilled to announce the appointment of Christopher Dragon as its new Music Director, starting with the 2024-2025 season.
This momentous decision comes after a comprehensive two-year search process, which included extensive interviews, auditions, and valuable feedback from GSO musicians, board members, staff, subscribers, and audience members.
Christopher Dragon, currently the Resident Conductor of the Colorado Symphony and Music Director of the Wyoming Symphony, will bring his exceptional talent and dynamic leadership to Greensboro. He will be the first new Music Director of the GSO in over 20 years. His role will extend beyond planning and conducting the Masterworks Series; this year, Dragon will also lead several GSO POPS concerts and the annual GSO Education Concert Series, which provides approximately 50,000 music education experiences to children in the Triad area each year. This is fitting, seeing as Dragon cites one of the 20th Century’s greatest music educators and conductors, Leonard Bernstein, as a major influence. In particular, Bernstein’s revolutionary approach to classical music education through his Young People’s Concerts in the 1950s-70s.
Hailing from Perth, Australia, with parents originating in Singapore, Christopher Dragon has rapidly emerged as one of the most exciting conductors of his generation. His career began with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, where his flair and dedication quickly earned him recognition. In 2015, Dragon joined the Colorado Symphony, captivating audiences with his vibrant and engaging performances. Simultaneously, his leadership of the Wyoming Symphony has garnered widespread acclaim. Dragon is also highly sought after as a guest conductor and has worked with many major orchestras all over the world including the San Francisco Symphony, San Diego Symphony, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Symphony, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and the WDR Funkhausorchester. He has also collaborated with a wide range of artists from Renée Fleming, Joshua Bell, and Cynthia Erivo to groups like the Wu-Tang Clan and Cypress Hill to name just a few.
“Dragon’s conducting was animated, energetic, precise…[t]he audience was thrilled by the overall performance and the great evening of wonderful music.”
Timothy Lindeman, CVNC.org
Mar 18, 2024
“I am thrilled to begin this journey with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra as its new Music Director.” Says Dragon. “I look forward to working with the talented musicians of the GSO, board, and administration to create unforgettable symphonic experiences to inspire the next generation of music lovers. My wife, Ariadna, and I absolutely loved our time in Greensboro and look forward to immersing ourselves into the vibrant Greensboro community (along with our pup Churro).”
Dragon has a versatile portfolio ranging from live-to-picture performances including Nightmare Before Christmas, Toy Story and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, a wide variety of collaborations with artists such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Cynthia Erivo and Joshua Bell, to standard and contemporary orchestral repertoire such as Danny Elfman’s Violin Concerto, Eleven Eleven; all areas of which he has become highly sought after. Christopher has become known for his charisma, high energy and affinity for a good costume, consistently delivering unforgettable performances that have made him an audience favorite.
Recent highlights include his successful debut with the San Francisco Symphony, performances of Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton with Danny Elfman reprising the role of Jack Skellington and historic performances with Nathaniel Rateliff at Walt Disney Concert Hall and David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center.
“I loved the way he conducted the Symphony. Dragon was literally dancing as he was conducting. He had a most unique program that just shouted for young people to hear. He definitely would be great for Greensboro especially the younger generation of music fans.”
GSO Masterworks Subscriber
In Australia, he has guest conducted the Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras. His 2015 debut performance at the Sydney Opera House with John Pyke and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra was released on an album by ABC Music and won an ARIA the following year.
He has also conducted at numerous festivals including the Breckenridge and Bangalow Music Festivals, with both resulting in immediate re-invitations. At the beginning of 2016, Dragon conducted Wynton Marsalis’ Swing Symphony as part of the Perth International Art Festival alongside Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Christopher began his conducting studies in 2011 and was a member of the prestigious Symphony Services International Conductor Development Program in Australia under the guidance of course director Christopher Seaman. He has also studied with numerous distinguished conductors including Leonid Grin, Paavo and Neeme Jarvi at the Jarvi Summer Festival, Fabio Luisi at the Pacific Music Festival, and conducting pedagogue Jorma Panula.
“He impressed me in many ways. He is the right combination of serious, fun, and keeping perspective. His musical requests were reasonable but yet pushed us to give it our all. Home run. He is the one.”
GSO Musician
Chelsea Tipton
Principal Guest Conductor
In another exciting development, the GSO is delighted to announce Chelsea Tipton as its new Principal Guest Conductor. His impressive skill and experience, coupled with his deep roots in Greensboro, make him a perfect fit for this role. Tipton will conduct several POPS and Masterworks concerts, providing Dragon with the flexibility needed to fulfill his commitments with the GSO, Colorado Symphony, and Wyoming Symphony.
Tipton, a Greensboro native, has enjoyed a distinguished career as a conductor. He has served as Music Director of the Symphony of Southeast Texas, Principal Pops Conductor of the New Haven Symphony, and has appeared with major orchestras across the United States including the Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. In 2011, Tipton was chosen to conduct for musical icon Sting’s international tour. Tipton’s connection to Greensboro and his passion for making high-quality music make him an invaluable addition to the GSO team.
“Returning to my hometown in this capacity is a dream come true,” said Chelsea Tipton. “I am excited to collaborate with Christopher Dragon and the talented musicians of the Greensboro Symphony to bring extraordinary performances to our community.”
Because the upcoming GSO concert season was planned long in advance of hiring a new Music Director, several of the scheduled 2024-2025 concerts conflict with Dragon’s existing schedule. As a result, more concerts than usual will be led by a guest conductor for the upcoming season (see schedule below).
Saturday, September 14, 2024 – POPS Concert 1: Australian Bee Gees
Conducted by Dragon
Saturday, September 28, 2024 – Masterworks Concert 1: Gabriela Martinez, Piano
Conducted by Guest François López-Ferrer
Saturday, November 2, 2024 – Masterworks Concert 2: Chris Thile, Mandolin
Conducted by Dragon
Friday, November 22, 2024 – POPS Concert 2: The 5th Dimension
Conducted by Tipton
Saturday, January 18, 2025 – POPS Concert 3: Aretha Franklin Tribute
Conducted by Dragon
Saturday, February 1, 2025 – Masterworks Concert 3: Hina Khuong-Huu, Violin
Conducted by Dragon
Friday, February 14, 2025 – POPS Concert 4: Daniel Emmet
Conducted by Guest Evan Roider
Saturday, March 1, 2025 – Masterworks Concert 4: Bryan Cheng, Cello
Conducted by Tipton
March 18-21, 2025 – GSO Education Concert Series
Conducted by Dragon
Saturday, March 22, 2025 – POPS Concert 5: Cirque de la Symphonie
Conducted by Dragon
Friday, April 11, 2025 – Masterworks Concert 5: D. J. Sparr, Thomas Flippin, Guitar
Conducted by Guest Robert Moody
Saturday, May 17, 2025 – Masterworks Concert 6: Mozart Requiem
Conducted by Tipton
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