Biography
German conductor DIRK MEYER was appointed Associate Conductor of the Sarasota Orchestra in 2011, after five successful seasons as Assistant Conductor, during which he earned an outstanding reputation with musicians, audiences and critics, alike. His performances have been described as "mesmerizing" and "out of this world" and his personable and entertaining style has made him an audience favorite.
“...it was obvious that Meyer had every orchestral eye focussed on him... Four movements and 45 minutes later the DSSO
had probably even surprised themselves...
The dynamic highs and lows were more expressive than I ever heard from the DSSO... Meyer’s enthusiasm was present at every moment,
and the energy flowing out across the audience seemed to embrace
the power of Prokofiev’s very Russian vision.”
– Duluth News Tribune
on Prokofiev’s Symphony No.5
This season Maestro Meyer conducts a wide variety of concerts with the Sarasota Orchestra, as well as the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. Additionally he will give his debuts with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (MA) and the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra (MN).
Upcoming seasons include Meyer’s return to the Naples Philharmonic and the Orlando Philharmonic and he will be giving his debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in Canada.
„Meyer has an easy style when introducing the
program selections and an obvious rapport with the orchestra (...).
[He] is a smooth operator on all levels and a delight to listen to.“
– Herald Tribune
Maestro Meyer is the author of “Chamber Orchestra and Ensemble Repertoire. A Catalog of Modern Music”, published by Scarecrow Press (2011). Providing conductors, librarians and administrators with performance information to about 4000 compositions, his book is the first entry in Scarecrow’s new series “Music Finders” edited by David Daniels.
Click here to find out about Chamber Orchestra Repertoire
From 2007 to 2011 Meyer served as Music Director to the Sarasota Youth Orchestras, a program that involves more than 250 students from Sarasota and the surrounding counties. In June of 2008 he gave his Carnegie Hall debut in New York City with the Sarasota Youth Philharmonic.
Possessing a special interest in contemporary music Meyer established a new music series with the Sarasota Orchestra, leading world premiers by Miguel del Aguila, Silas Durocher and Eve Baglarian as well as the American premiers of works by Arvo Pärt, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Joby Talbot and Elliott Sharp. Audiences and critics have been equally enthusiastic about these concerts, praising Meyer’s “precise and expert direction” and stating that this series might have changed Sarasota’s musical scene forever.
“Meyer’s comparison of the repeated notes in Beethoven’s Ninth and Shostakovich’s Fifth, and the final 44 or so minutes devoted to the complete performance of the Shostakovich symphony were extraordinary... The overall performance was mesmerizing”.
– The Observer
Prior to his appointments in Florida, Meyer served as Music Director to the Mason Symphony Orchestra and the Assistant Conductor of the Traverse Symphony in Michigan. Additionally he has led performances with the Jackson Symphony and the Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra. He also held the position of Assistant Conductor to the Missouri Symphony Orchestra in Columbia under Kirk Trevor.
Meyer has conducted many orchestras in Europe and abroad, including appearances in South Africa, the Czech Republic and Germany. In the operatic world he has led performances of Carmen and Don Giovanni with the Plovdiv Opera in Bulgaria and served as Assistant Conductor to the Michigan State University Opera Theatre, which he conducted in Puccini’s La Bohème and Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress.
Dr. Meyer has studied with teachers like Neeme Järvi and Jorma Panula and in addition he assisted Maestro Kevin Rhodes with numerous performances at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein (Germany), as well as at the Vienna State Opera (Austria) and the Teatro Real in Madrid (Spain).
He holds Doctor of Musical Arts and Masters degrees in orchestral conducting from Michigan State University, where he worked with Leon Gregorian. At MSU he worked as Graduate Teaching Assistant from 2002 to 2006, during which time he led many performances with the university’s Philharmonic and Concert Orchestras. He holds Bachelor’s Degrees from the Folkwang Conservatory in Germany (music) as well as the University Duisburg-Essen (philosophy). He currently lives in Sarasota, Florida with his wife, Jennifer, and their Miniature Schnauzers, Nugget and Cosmo.
Mr. Meyer is represented by Tom Parker of Parker Artists.
