About

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ANNOUNCEMENT:

July 1, 2023

Brent Douglas is named Artistic Director of the Venice Chorale

https://thevenicechorale.org/artistic-staff/ 

     Recipient of the prestigious "Classical Musician of the Year" award presented by Creative Loafing Magazine Tampa Bay in 2016, Brent Douglas stands as an accomplished and passionate conductor with an extensive background in symphonic, operatic, and choral genres. His illustrious career has taken him across the United States and overseas, collaborating with esteemed organizations like the London Classical Players, Berlin Sinfonietta, and the National Women's Chorus of Cuba. Notable positions held include Director of Orchestra and Chorus at Eckerd College for a remarkable nine years, Assistant Conductor for the Tampa Bay Symphony for two seasons, and Chorus Master with Gulfshore Opera and Opera Tampa. Furthermore, he has conducted captivating performances at renowned festivals and events such as the Mediterranean Opera Studio and Festival in Sicily, the Vienna Summer Music Festival, the Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina, and the Venice Symphony in Florida. In 2017, Douglas's international career soared with a ground-breaking “blacklight” performance of “The Magic Flute” at the Düsseldorf Lyric Opera in Germany alongside the Vivazza Orchestra. With his extraordinary talent, unique concert design philosophy, and commitment to diverse programming, he has left audiences inspired and garnered acclaim from both critics and fellow musicians.  

     Beyond conducting, Douglas is a remarkable pianist, harpsichordist, and organist, lending his exceptional skills to performances with renowned orchestras such as The Florida Orchestra and St. Pete Baroque. He has also showcased his musical prowess with esteemed ensembles like The Springfield Symphony in Missouri, The Venice Symphony, The Sarasota Orchestra, and The Naples Philharmonic Orchestra. As an opera pianist and vocal coach, he has formed partnerships with acclaimed organizations including St. Petersburg Opera, Opera Tampa, the Springfield Regional Opera in Missouri, and the Savannah Voice Festival in Georgia.

In addition to his remarkable performing career, Douglas has made significant contributions to education and the performing arts administration field. During his tenure at Eckerd College, he not only taught choir, orchestra, piano, and organ but also led successful concert tours and initiated an innovative choral music commission project. His commitment to music education is further evident through his involvement in various adjudication panels, including the St. Petersburg Opera Guild College Competition, the Charlotte Symphony Young Professional Competition, and the Florida Vocal Association Music Performance Assessments. Notably, he served as the Managing Director of the Palladium Theater for five years, securing grants from the Pinellas County Arts Council and Music Teachers National Association for his educational initiatives and a self-founded chamber music series.

     Douglas began his studies at Missouri State University and holds a Bachelor of Piano Performance and a Master of Conducting from the University of South Florida, where he studied under  Dr. William Wiedrich and Dr. James Bass (UCLA). He has refined his skills through training with renowned conductors such as Leonardo Catalanotto in Sicily, Michael Francis of The Florida Orchestra, Kenneth Kiesler at the University of Michigan, and Diane Wittry of the Allentown Symphony.