Richard DeRosa New Chief Conductor of WDR Big Band as of 2014/15 Season

Richard DeRosa New Chief Conductor of WDR Big Band as of 2014/15 Season

COLOGNE, Germany, September 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --



As of the 2014/15 season, Richard DeRosa will become the new chief conductor of the
WDR Big Band. Beside his skills as a conductor and an experienced and imaginative
arranger, DeRosa, who was born in New York in 1955, also commands a wide range of musical
styles, which fits in well with the varied repertoire of the WDR Big Band.



"I am really delighted that the conductor and arranger Rich DeRosa will be taking over
the position of chief conductor of the WDR Big Band as of the 2014/15 season. DeRosa
writes for the great figures of jazz and his orchestra work is outstanding. His stylistic
diversity reflects his wide view of music. This corresponds exactly with the orientation
which we pursue with the WDR Big Band," says WDR Radio Director Wolfgang Schmitz.



"I am very grateful and excited for the opportunity to become the new chief conductor
and arranger of the most successful jazz ensemble in Europe, the WDR Big Band. My past
experiences with these truly outstanding musicians have been very rewarding and I look
forward to sustaining their great tradition as did my more recent predecessors Bill
Dobbins and Mike Abene," says Rich DeRosa.



DeRosa's arrangements and compositions are in demand in practically all areas of music
- from jazz via musicals, right through to film soundtracks and video clips. In jazz he
has worked with some of the greats like Gerry Mulligan or Bob Brookmeyer and has produced
arrangements for leading ensembles like Wynton Marsalis' Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra or
the Big Band of Mel Lewis. Great soloists like Toots Thielemans, Norah Jones or Cassandra
Wilson also appreciate his creative work. In addition, as arranger, conductor and drummer,
DeRosa has been involved in many recordings for numerous labels, among others, with
Susannah McCorkle and Gerry Mulligan.



At the University of North Texas, DeRosa directs the course of studies in jazz
composition/arranging. Previously, he taught at the William Paterson University, the
Manhattan School of Music and at the Juilliard School. He is author of the books Concepts
for improvisation: A Comprehensive guide for Performing and Teaching and Acoustic and MIDI
Orchestration for the Contemporary Composer.



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