About this Artist
American conductor JEFFREY MILARSKY is highly acclaimed worldwide for his impeccable musicianship, exhilarating presence, and innovative programming. He has been hailed for his interpretation of a wide range of repertoire, which spans from Bach to Xenakis. In recent seasons he has worked with accomplished groups such as the San Francisco Symphony, American Composers Orchestra, MET Chamber Ensemble, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, Bergen Philharmonic, New York City Opera, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, New World Symphony, Tanglewood Festival Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic chamber music series. In the United States and abroad, he has premiered and recorded works by many groundbreaking contemporary composers, in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Zankel Hall, Davies Symphony Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Boston’s Symphony Hall, and at IRCAM in Paris.
In June of 2015 Milarsky made his New York Philharmonic debut conducting a Japanese based program including music of Takemitsu, Messiaen, Fujikura, and Mochizuki. He was invited again in November of 2015 to conduct works by Mario Davidovsky. In 2017, Milarsky returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall to lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group in a program devoted to Steve Reich, celebrating the composer’s 80th birthday.
Milarsky has a long history of premiering, recording, and performing American composers, and in keeping with that he was recently presented the prestigious Ditson Conductor’s Award. Established in 1945, it is the oldest award honoring conductors for their commitment to the performance of American music. Past honorees have included Leonard Bernstein, Leopold Stokowski, and James Levine. His interest and dedication has brought forth collaborations with esteemed composers such as Adams, Babbitt, Cage, Carter, Corigliano, Crumb, Davidovsky, Druckman, Gordon, Lang, Mackey, Rouse, Shapey, Subotnick, Wuorinen, and an entire generation of young and developing composers.
A dedicated teacher, Milarsky is a Senior Lecturer in Music at Columbia University, where he is the Music Director and Conductor of the Columbia University Orchestra. In addition to conducting the Juilliard Orchestra, he is the Music Director of AXIOM, the Juilliard School’s critically acclaimed contemporary music ensemble, and serves on the conducting faculty at Juilliard.
A much-in-demand timpanist and percussionist, Milarsky has been the Principal Timpanist for the Santa Fe Opera since 2005. In addition, he has performed and recorded with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Symphony. He has recorded extensively for Angel, Bridge, Teldec, Telarc, New World, CRI, MusicMasters, EMI, Koch, and London records.
Milarsky received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Juilliard School. Upon graduation, he was awarded the Peter Mennin Prize for outstanding leadership and achievement in the arts.