Charles Ketcham

Charles Ketcham has conducted many of the major orchestras in the United States, including the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the St. Louis Symphony, the Denver Symphony, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Portland Symphony. He has held the positions of Resident conductor with the Utah Symphony and the San Diego Symphony, as well as Music Director of the San Diego Master Chorale and Principal Conductor of Ballet West. He has also served as principle guest conductor of the Utah Opera.

In addition, Ketcham has conducted orchestras in France (the Radio orchestra of Lille), Italy, Holland, and Denmark (Alborg). His most recent appearances have been with world-renowned Philharmonia of London, the Russian National Orchestra at Tschaikowsky Hall in Moscow, the Park City International Music Festival, the Julliard Orchestra, and the Munich Symphony Orchestra.

With his colleagues, Linda Daniel-Spitz and Laurence Rosenthal, Ketcham has recorded the complete piano music of Gurdjieff /deHartmann for the German recording label Wergo Schallplatten. He has also recorded for RCA Red Label, Pro Arte and Varase Saraband.

REVIEWS

"One of the sternest challenges in the symphonic repertory, Bruckner's Fourth Symphony ... was a superior effort by all ... A healthy share of the credit should go to the guest conductor, Charles Ketcham". - The New York Times

"Ketcham's best work was in Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite". Everything was very much in place. He provided a stable underlying pulse, clear entrances throughout, a strong crescendo of energy in 'The Infernal Dance'. and a sense of poetry in the 'Lullaby'. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"... polished playing by the Philharmonia under Charles Ketcham.". - The London Times

"... the glowing highlight of the Russian National Orchestra's concert led by guest conductor Charles Ketcham. Ketcham shaped the second movement scherzo with a deft, elegant hand. Yet it was in the third movement's boisterous march that the conductor galvanized the performance, with each orchestral voice dynamically focused and forcefully articulated. The solemn Finale was devastating ...Ketcham also led stirring performances of works by Pletnev, Gordon Getty and John Adams." - Contra Costa Times