Music Director Musicians Artistic Director

At the invitation of Music Director Osmo Vänskä, he assumes the post of Assistant Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra in September 2009. He will lead family, pops and summer concerts, while also covering subscription season performances.

From 2007 to 2009 Lewis was Zander Fellow in Conducting with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to his work with the Philharmonic, he assisted Benjamin Zander with the London Philharmonia, Toronto Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony and the Símon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela.

In November 2008 he made his American debut with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra in a series of five concerts, and spent several weeks assisting David Robertson, Marc Albrecht and Yan Pascal Tortelier.

In recent seasons he bas worked with the BBC Philharmonic, Tulsa and Lexington Symphonies and Liverpool Mozart Orchestras and smaller groups including the Nash Ensemble and the Alban Berg Ensemble.

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1984, Courtney read music at the University of Cambridge, where he studied composition with Robin Holloway and clarinet with Dame Thea King, graduating top of his year with starred first class honors. After completing a master's degree on the late music of György Ligeti, he attended the Royal Northern College of Music where his teachers included Sir Mark Elder and Clark Rundell.