Conductors

Awadagin Pratt, Principal Conductor

Among his generation of concert artists, pianist Awadagin Pratt is acclaimed for his musical insight and intensely involving performances in recital and with symphony orchestras.

Born in Pittsburgh, Awadagin Pratt began studying piano at the age of six. Three years later, having moved to Normal, Illinois with his family, he also began studying violin. At the age of 16 he entered the University of Illinois where he studied piano, violin, and conducting. He subsequently enrolled at the Peabody Conservatory of Music where he became the first student in the school's history to receive diplomas in three performance areas – piano, violin and conducting. In recognition of this achievement and for his work in the field of classical music, Mr. Pratt received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Johns Hopkins as well as an honorary doctorate from Illinois Wesleyan University after delivering the commencement address in 2012.

In 1992 Mr. Pratt won the Naumburg International Piano Competition and two years later was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant. Since then, he has played numerous recitals throughout the US including performances at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, Chicago's Orchestra Hall and the NJ Performing Arts Center. His many orchestral performances include appearances with the New York Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra and the Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Baltimore, St. Louis, National, Detroit and New Jersey symphonies among many others. Summer festival engagements include appearances at Ravinia, Blossom, Wolftrap, Caramoor and Aspen and the Hollywood Bowl. Internationally, Mr. Pratt has toured Japan four times and performed in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Israel, Columbia and South Africa.

Also an experienced conductor, Mr. Pratt has conducted programs with the Toledo, New Mexico, Vancouver WA, Winston-Salem, Santa Fe and Prince George County symphonies, the Northwest Sinfonietta, the Concertante di Chicago and several orchestras in Japan.

A great favorite on college and university performing arts series and a strong advocate of music education, Awadagin Pratt participates in numerous residency and outreach activities wherever he appears; these activities may include master classes, children's recitals, play/talk demonstrations and question/answer sessions for students of all ages. He is also frequently invited to participate on international competition juries, such as the Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Israel, the Cleveland International Piano Competition, Minnesota e-Competition, the Unisa International Piano Competition in International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz in the Ukraine.

In November 2009, Mr. Pratt was one of four artists selected to perform at a classical music event at the White House that included student workshops hosted by the First Lady, Michelle Obama, and performing in concert for guests including President Obama. He has performed two other times at the White House, both at the invitation of President and Mrs. Clinton.

Mr. Pratt's recordings for Angel/EMI include A Long Way From Normal, an all Beethoven Sonata CD, Live From South Africa, Transformations and an all Bach disc with the St. Lawrence String Quartet. His most recent recordings are the Brahms Sonatas for Cello and Piano with Zuill Bailey for Telarc and a recording of the music of Judith Lang Zaimont with the Harlem Quartet for Navona Records.

James Johnston, Associate Conductor

James Johnston enjoys a varied career as a conductor, composer, performer, and teacher. In addition to his work with the MVSO, he is the Music Director of the Yellow Springs Chamber Orchestra, Community Band, and Community Chorus, collectively known as Yellow Spring Community Music, as well Music Director and Organist at the First Presbyterian Church in Yellow Springs. Formerly Chair of the Music Department at Antioch College, Mr. Johnston has been the Conducting Assistant of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and was the founding Music Director of the Southern Indiana Youth Symphony. He currently teaches music and humanities at Marian University in Indianapolis.

Mr. Johnston has also taught and conducted at Indiana University, Bloomington and at Earlham College. He has led successful concerts in past years with the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the popular outdoor Symphony-on- the-Green summer concerts for the Muncie Symphony, as well as other orchestras in the area.

His arrangements and performances as a violinist can be heard on the Sony, Dorian, Titanic and North Star labels, and include music for the Christmas season, music from 19th c. America, and music about the game of baseball. Mr. Johnston arranged several pieces heard on the 2005 Public Radio special Carols for Dancing, produced by WGBH radio and played by the group Renaissonics. In 2007, he also arranged the title music for the Public Radio New Year's special Watchnight, which aired on stations nationwide. He composed the music for the Yellow Springs Kid's Playhouse production of Alice, Although in 2017, and Luminous Luna in 2018, and in 2023 was commissioned to write a new finale for the Yellow Springs Youth Orchestra Association's summer music camp.

Mr. Johnston studied at Bucknell University, the New England Conservatory and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and conducting at the Pierre Monteux School and the Aspen Music School.