ABOUT

George Jackson is quickly making a name for the breadth and commitment of his work, whether in opera, symphonic repertoire or contemporary scores, building strong relationships with the orchestras he conducts. In September 2022 Jackson began his tenure as Music Director of the Amarillo Symphony, leading them in their Centenary year in 2023-24.

Jackson’s skill in preparing complex scores has led to an ongoing relationship with Ensemble Intercontemporain. Together they released the world premiere recording of Steve Reich’s Reich/Richter on Nonesuch Records, following successful performances of the work in Rome, Paris and Luxembourg. He also conducted the group for the French premieres of works by Rebecca Saunders and James Dillon at the 2019 Festival d’Automne à Paris. With Collegium Novum Zürich Jackson conducted Noli me tangere, a new work by Isabel Mundry, and with Brussels Philharmonic he led the world premiere of Claire-Mélanie Sinnhuber’s new work, Chahut.

He is increasingly sought-after as a guest with European orchestras, who appreciate his fearless conducting and thorough rehearsal technique. Recent engagements include Orchestre de Paris, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier Occitanie and the orchestra of Opéra de Rouen.

George Jackson is quickly making a name for the breadth and commitment of his work, whether in opera, symphonic repertoire or contemporary scores, building strong relationships with the orchestras he conducts. In September 2022 Jackson begins his tenure as Music Director of the Amarillo Symphony, leading them in their Centenary year in 2023-24.

Jackson’s skill in preparing complex scores has led to an ongoing relationship with Ensemble Intercontemporain. Together they released the world premiere recording of Steve Reich’s Reich/Richter on Nonesuch Records, following successful performances of the work in Rome, Paris and Luxembourg. He also conducted the group for the French premieres of works by Rebecca Saunders and James Dillon at the 2019 Festival d’Automne à Paris, and in 2024, also made debuts at Festival Présences and Tokyo Spring Festival with the group. With Collegium Novum Zürich Jackson conducted Noli me tangere, a new work by Isabel Mundry, and with Brussels Philharmonic he led the world premiere of Claire-Mélanie Sinnhuber’s new work, Chahut.

He is increasingly sought-after as a guest with European orchestras, who appreciate his fearless conducting and thorough rehearsal technique. Recent engagements include Orchestre de Paris, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier Occitanie and the orchestra of Opéra de Rouen.

Praised for his natural affinity for opera, he has received acclaim for his work in productions of Hänsel und Gretel and The Excursions of Mr Brouček (Grange Park Opera), Le nozze di Figaro (Opera Holland Park), and Il barbiere di Siviglia (Theater an der Wien). In summer 2024, Jackson returns to Grange Park Opera to conduct the world premiere of Anthony Bolton’s Island of Dreams, an opera based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

The son of actor parents, Jackson began inventing theatrical entertainments with his sister at an early age, as well as learning the violin, and later served as a drummer and guitarist in post-punk, rock and Irish folk bands, developing broad musical tastes that he retains to this day. Jackson’s formative experiences include his participation at Lucerne Festival Academy and at Aspen Music Festival, where he was awarded the Aspen Conducting Prize in 2015. He is passionate and informed about the art and traditions of conducting, and regularly passes on his enthusiasm through podcasts on the subject.

Praised for his natural affinity for opera, he has received acclaim for his work in productions of Hänsel und Gretel and The Excursions of Mr Brouček (Grange Park Opera), Le nozze di Figaro (Opera Holland Park), and Il barbiere di Siviglia (Theater an der Wien). In summer 2024, Jackson returns to Grange Park Opera to conduct the world premiere of Anthony Bolton’s Island of Dreams, an opera based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

The son of actor parents, Jackson began inventing theatrical entertainments with his sister at an early age, as well as learning the violin, and later served as a drummer and guitarist in post-punk, rock and Irish folk bands, developing broad musical tastes that he retains to this day. Jackson’s formative experiences include his participation at Lucerne Festival Academy and at Aspen Music Festival, where he was awarded the Aspen Conducting Prize in 2015. He is passionate and informed about the art and traditions of conducting, and regularly passes on his enthusiasm through podcasts on the subject.

The Times - Richard Morrison

Most of the musical interest lies in the deft instrumental writing, effectively realised by the Gascoigne Orchestra under George Jackson’s meticulous direction.

Anthony Bolton, Island of Dreams (world premiere)
Grange Park Opera

The Guardian - Tim Ashley

“The City of London Sinfonia, meanwhile, play superbly for Jackson, an excellent conductor, wonderfully alert to the sadness as well as the humour that permeates the score.”

Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro
Opera Holland Park

Evening Standard - Barry Millington

“Not only did he pace the action unfailingly to contrast the moments of private anguish with the frenetic public activity going on around it, but he also drew out the beauty and wrung out the maximum pathos from a score that drips with it.”

Puccini, La Bohème
Opera Holland Park / City of London Sinfonia

The Telegraph - Rupert Christiansen

“George Jackson conducted the full ENO orchestra in a magnificent account of the score, sparkling with playful humour in the dialogues and exultantly romantic in the interludes.”  

Humperdinck, Hänsel und Gretel
Grange Park Opera / Orchestra of English National Opera

Classykeo - Soline Heurtebise

“L’album MOONDOG 1969 a été sublimé par l’interprétation magistrale de l’Orchestre philharmonique de Bruxelles, sous la direction éclairée de George Jackson.”

Moondog, 1969
Brussels Philharmonic

BBC Music Magazine - Claire Jackson

“George Jackson expertly pushes Pierre Boulez’s former ensemble through the pixelating patterns. Some audience snuffling and shuffling is audible in this otherwise mesmeric performance.”

Steve Reich, ‘Reich/Richter’
Ensemble Intercontemporain

British Theatre - Tim Hochstrasser

“The musical side of the evening operates at a very high level. The City of London Sinfonia, under George Jackson’s baton, relishes the tasty orchestral textures, bringing out the many layers of instrumental flavour that Puccini conjures up in the service of the dramatic moment. There is nothing routine in this performance and because Jackson risked creating genuine pianissimos under the cavernous Holland Park tent we got to hear inner parts of the orchestra not usually discernible within the overall wash of sound.”

Puccini, La Bohème
Opera Holland Park / City of London Sinfonia

The Arts Desk - Jessica Duchen

“The award-winning young conductor George Jackson exerts formidable control over the shape and pace of the action, no easy ask in such a bizarre creation”. 

Janáček, ‘The Excursions of Mr Brouček
Grange Park Opera / BBC Concert Orchestra

CALENDAR

2nd, 3rd, and 4th November 2023

Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León

Valladolid
Spain

Dvořák: My Homeland

Anna Clyne: ‘Glasslands’ (Spanish Premiere)

Dvořák: Symphony No. 7

Jess Gillam saxophone
George Jackson conductor

17th & 18th November 2023

Amarillo Symphony

Globe News Centre
Amarillo, TX

Anna Merideth: Fringe Flower (US Premiere)

Barber: Knoxville Summer of 1915

Brahms: Symphony No. 1

Sara Hershkowitz soprano
George Jackson conductor

19th & 20th January 2024

Amarillo Symphony

Globe News Centre
Amarillo, TX

Francisco Coll: Hímnica (US Premiere)     

Bach: Concerto in D Minor                          

Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra

Mahan Esfahani harpsichord
George Jackson conductor

6th February 2024

Ensemble Intercontemporain

Maison de la Radio et de la Musique, Paris

Opening Concert of the Festival Présences 2024

Steve Reich: Jacob’s Ladder (French Premiere)  

Josephine Stephenson: new work (world premiere)                

Héloïse Werner: Close-ups (world premiere)

Steve Reich: Reich/Richter

Héloïse Werner soprano

Synergy Vocals

Hae-Sun Kang violin

George Jackson conductor

23rd & 24th February 2024

Amarillo Symphony

Globe News Centre
Amarillo, TX

Nathan Fryml: Novae Laudis (World Premiere)                                                         

Mahler: Symphony No. 5

Amarillo Master Chorale
George Jackson conductor

8th & 9th March 2024

Amarillo Symphony

Globe News Centre
Amarillo, TX

Sibelius: Spring Song                                     

Dvorak: Violin Concerto                         

Schumann: Symphony No. 1 (‘Spring’)

Aubree Oliverson violin
George Jackson conductor

8th April 2024

Ensemble Intercontemporain

Tokyo Spring Festival, Bunka Kaikan

Tokyo, Japan

Edgard Varèse: Octandre                               

Anton Webern: Concerto, Op. 24                        

Elliot Carter: Double Trio

Pierre Boulez: Dérive 1

George Jackson conductor

9th April 2024

Ensemble Intercontemporain

Tokyo Spring Festival, Bunka Kaikan

Tokyo, Japan

Yan Maresz: Entrelacs  

Yann Robin: Übergang  II                             

Tristan Murail: Near Death Experience              

Pascal Dusapin: Fist

George Jackson conductor

19th & 20th April 2024

Amarillo Symphony

Globe News Centre
Amarillo, TX

Christopher Theofanidis: New Work for String Quartet and Orchestra (world premiere)

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

The Harrington String Quartet

Rebecca Nelson soprano

Amber Fasquelle mezzo soprano

Eric Barry tenor

David Crawford baritone

George Jackson conductor

11th May 2024

Israel Contemporary Players

Zucker Hall, Tel Aviv Cultural Center

Tel Aviv, Israel

Rebecca Saunders: Disclosure

Ligeti: Chamber Concerto

 George Jackson conductor

17th May 2024

Timisoara Philharmonic

Timisoara, Romania

Elgar: In The South

Vaughan Williams: Flos Campi

Walton: Belshazzar’s Feast

George Jackson conductor

Timothy Ridout viola

21st June 2024

London Mozart Players

Thaxted Festival, England

Holst: A Fugal Concerto

Noah Max: Symphony No.1 (world premiere)

Holst: Lyric Movement

Holst: Brook Green Suite

Mozart: Piano Concert No. 23 in A

George Jackson conductor

Iyad Sughayer piano

July 11 + 13 2024

Grange Park Opera

Surrey, United Kingdom

Anthony Bolton: Island of Dreams

World Premiere

Prospero Simon Keenlyside
Miranda Ffion Edwards
Ariel Hugh Cutting
Caliban Andreas Jankowitsch

Conductor George Jackson

Director Sir David Pountney

30th July 2024

Aspen Music Festival

Aspen, CO

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez

Conductor George Jackson

Guitar Sharon Isbin

13th & 14th September 2024

Amarillo Symphony

Globe News Centre
Amarillo, TX

Adam Schoenberg: Go!

Kevin Puts: Flute Concerto

Ravel: Une barque sur l’océan

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

 Jake Fridkis flute

11th & 12th October 2024

Amarillo Symphony

Globe News Centre
Amarillo, TX

Michael Daugherty: Cadillac Ranch (world premiere)

Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring

Kevin Puts: Contact

 Time for Three String Trio

8th November 2024

BBC Concert Orchestra

Great Yarmouth, UK

Friday Night is Music Night!

 

16th November 2024

Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier

Opéra Comédie, Montpellier
France

Haydn: The Creation

Emily Gazeilles soprano

Maciej Kwasnikowski tenor

Alexandre Baldo bass-baritone

 

 

 

 

29th November 2024

Brussels Philharmonic

Flagey, Brussels, Belgium

Moondog Symphonic

Moondog: Theme, Stamping Ground, Symphonique #3 (Ode to Venus), Symphonique #6 (Good for Goodie, Minisym #1, Lament 1 (Bird’s Lament, Witch of Endor, Symphonique #1 (Portrait of a Monarch)

EEC Suite: Golden Fleece, Hymn to Peace, EEC Lied, Two Poems

4th December 2024

BBC Concert Orchestra

Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, England

Orff: Carmina Burana

Fflur Wynn soprano

Levy Sekgapane tenor

Morgan Pearse baritone

Choirs of the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University

Choristers of Southwell Minster

17th & 18th January 2025

Amarillo Symphony

Globe News Centre
Amarillo, TX

Johann Strauss: Blue Danube

Matthew Kaner: Violin Concerto (Co-Commission with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra)

Antonín Dvorak: Symphony No. 8

 Ben Baker violin

February 28th & March 1st 2025

Amarillo Symphony

Globe News Centre
Amarillo, TX

Errollyn Wallen: Mighty River

Angela Elizabeth Slater: Mountains Become Oceans (World Premiere)

Sibelius: Swan of Tuonela

Debussy: La Mer

Hannah Weaver percussion

Rosanna Moore harp

March 21st & 22nd 2025

Amarillo Symphony

Globe News Centre
Amarillo, TX

George Antheil: Over The Plains

Samuel Jones: Trombone Concerto

Charles Ives: Symphony No. 1

John Shanks trombone

April 25th & 26th 2025

Amarillo Symphony

Globe News Centre
Amarillo, TX

L.V. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4

Grace-Evangeline Mason: The Imagined Forest

Stravinsky: The Firebird

Marc-André Hamelin piano

July 10 + 12 2025

Grange Park Opera

Surrey, United Kingdom

Nishat Kahn: Taj Mahal

World Premiere

Shah Jahan Caspar Singh
Mumtaz Mahal Julia Sitkovetsky
Jahanara Elizabeth Karani
Aurangzeb / Jahingir Ross Ramgobin

Nur Jahan Victoria Simmonds

Conductor George Jackson

Director Stephen Medcalf