Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser facts for kids
Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser is a talented Canadian conductor who leads orchestras. He's famous for making classical music fun and interesting for everyone, especially people who might not usually go to symphony concerts. He often mixes classical music with modern styles and creates shows about topics that appeal to new audiences.
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Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser's Journey
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser loved music from a young age. He went to William Aberhart High School and studied music at the University of Calgary in Canada. He also studied at the Royal Northern College of Music overseas.
Before becoming a full-time conductor, he taught music for several years at Glenmore Christian Academy in Calgary. Since then, he has worked with many orchestras. He was an associate conductor for the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. He also helped connect orchestras with their communities as an artist in residence for Symphony Nova Scotia and an education conductor for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
He has been a guest conductor for many famous orchestras. These include the San Francisco Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. He even conducted one of the New York Philharmonic's well-known Young People's Concerts at Lincoln Center.
Conducting at the Hollywood Bowl
On August 18, 2023, Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the famous Hollywood Bowl. This special concert featured music by Tchaikovsky. It ended with the exciting 1812 Overture, complete with a huge fireworks display! He had never conducted with fireworks before, but he kept the music going, and the audience loved it.
Creative Concerts and Shows
Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser is known for creating unique and engaging concert experiences. He often blends classical music with other styles and themes.
- The Long River: In 2018, he performed with Symphony Nova Scotia and folk musician J.P. Cormier. This show celebrated the music of Canadian legend Gordon Lightfoot.
- Soul Legends: From Isaac Hayes to Marvin Gaye: In 2019, he led the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra and the Calgary Philharmonic in a concert featuring soul and rhythm and blues hits.
"Disruptor Conductor" Documentary
In 2019, a television documentary called Disruptor Conductor was made about Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser's work. The film, directed by Sharon Lewis, showed how he made classical music more accessible to different groups.
The documentary highlighted four of his special shows from 2018:
- A string quartet performance for people at the Grand Valley Institution for Women.
- A show with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra designed to be welcoming for children with autism.
- A concert with the San Francisco Symphony that mixed classical music with African music. It even included African drumming by Magatte Sow.
- "Thorgy and the Thorchestra," a fun show that featured classical violinist and drag performer Thorgy Thor.
This film was shown on CBC Television as part of CBC Docs POV.
On the Radio
Since 2021, Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser has also been a radio host. He hosts Centre Stage, a weekend classical music program on the CBC Music radio network.
