Per Brevig

Per Brevig Orchestra Artistic Director

Per Brevig is attracting attention in Europe, South America and the United States as a conductor of remarkable ability and insight. His career has earned him a growing reputation as a superb conductor and orchestra builder.

Since resigning from the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in 1994, Per Brevig’s conducting career has advanced quickly. Within five years of leaving the Metropolitan Opera, he conducted more than 20 operas of standard and contemporary repertoire. His repertoire is large and he is flexible in the programming of operatic as well as symphonic works. He is guest conducting orchestras widely to critical acclaim.

Born in Norway, Per Brevig studied at the Juilliard School where he received his Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. The greatest musical experience and education in Per Brevig’s career has been his fortunate association with the finest conductors of our time, as well as those of the past, among them, Ansermet, Barbirolli, Bernstein, Böhm, Karajan, Kleiber, Kubelik, Monteux, Munch, Patané, Steinberg, Tenstedt.

In 1991 Per Brevig founded the Edvard Grieg Society in anticipation of the composer’s 50th anniversary in 1993. Under his leadership, the Society has become the center of activities celebrating Grieg in the U.S., including major symposia at Columbia University in New York City. The culmination of an Edvard Grieg Society season is often highlighted with a concert at Lincoln Center with Mr. Brevig conducting the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in music by Grieg and other Scandinavian composers, as well as music by American composers.

Per Brevig is a member of the National Society of Literature and the Arts and is cited in the International Who’s Who in Music, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the World, Personalities of America and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. In 1990, Mr. Brevig was decorated with the Royal Medal of St. Olav by King Olav V of Norway. The medal was presented to him in recognition of his efforts to promote Norwegian music and culture in the United States.

Mr. Brevig’s future conducting engagements include operatic and symphonic performances both in the U.S. and abroad.