Anne Harrigan
Anne Harrigan
- Bio
- Profile
Recent guest conducting engagements have included the Richmond, Annapolis, Arlington, Lansing, and Honolulu Symphony Orchestras, the Indianapolis and Missouri Chamber Orchestras, the Naples Philharmonic and cover conducting for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. She has performed with exceptional artists such as Leon Fleisher, Lynn Harrell and Janos Starker.
In May, 2005, Ms. Harrigan was selected to become the Music Director of the Billings Symphony Orchestra. According to the chairman of the board, “Ms. Harrigan was ranked first by the musicians of the Billings Symphony Orchestra and Chorale, and unanimously endorsed by the Board of Directors.”
She assumed the position of Music Director of the Battle Creek Symphony in December, 2002. Projects at the Battle Creek Symphony have included the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the WK Kellogg Foundation, a national commission through Continental Harmony celebrating the diversity of Battle Creek, and participation in the $5M renovation of the WK Kellogg Auditorium.
Her commitment to innovation in programming has resulted in groundbreaking multi-disciplinary programs that have attracted national attention. These include the United States premiere of Shaun Davey’s “A Brendan Voyage”, a concerto for uilleann pipes and orchestra with the renowned piper Christopher Layer; collaborations with Alexander Streltsov, aerialist, silent movies with live orchestra, live video projections of performances, and Peter Boyer’s “Ellis Island: Dream of America – a chronicle of the journey of seven immigrants through Ellis Island.
When not working, I spend my time… with my husband and daughter or outdoors.
To unwind, I listen to… tango or Ella Fitzgerald.
My current ring tone is… Mars from the Planets
The last book I read was… Uglies by Scott Westerfield
Most people would be surprised to learn that… I bicycle 2,000 miles per year.
The craziest thing I have ever done is… starting the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra at the age of 25.
My dream is… that everyone has the opportunity to be changed by music the way that I have been.
The non-musical accomplishment that I am most proud of is… bicycling over the Beartooth Mountains in Montana with 40-50 mph crosswinds.
What is your guilty pleasure? Battlestar Galactica or other science fiction.
My favorite vacation is...Thailand
To prepare for a performance, I… learn everything I can about the life of the composer and circumstances surrounding the composition. I have travelled to different countries to research compositions, and wish I could do so with every piece.
My most embarrassing musical moment was… knocking over conductor Riccardo Muti in a master class.
An extremely positive musical experience I have had was… seeing the tremendous artistic growth in the orchestras I conduct and the impact they have on their communities.
A profound experience, musical or otherwise, that has shaped or deeply influenced my approach to music would be… the master class lessons I had with Leonard Bernstein. He taught me that to learn a score you must be utterly committed to every note in the piece.
