J. Reilly Lewis | |
|---|---|
.jpg) J. Reilly Lewis conducting the Cathedral Choral Society in 2013. | |
| Born | 15 September 1944 |
| Died | 9 June 2016 |
| Alma mater | Juilliard School |
| Occupations | Conductor, organist |
| Organization(s) | Washington Bach Consort,Cathedral Choral Society |
John Reilly Lewis (September 15, 1944 – June 9, 2016)[1] was an American choral conductor who founded theWashington Bach Consort and was the music director of theCathedral Choral Society. As a keyboard artist he specialised inbaroque music, particularly the music ofJ. S. Bach.
Born in 1944 in Vallejo, California, he received a bachelor's degree from theOberlin College Conservatory of Music and a master's and doctorate fromThe Juilliard School.[2] AFulbright Fellowship enabled him to spend a year at theHochschule für Musik inFrankfurt am Main, where he studied conducting, organ and harpsichord. Several years later, he spent a summer in France studying composition withNadia Boulanger.
From 1971 until his death, Lewis was organist and choirmaster atClarendonUnited Methodist Church inArlington, Virginia, where he led the adult choir, as well as choral and instrumental programs for youth. He led semiannual singalong presentations ofHandel'sMessiah (Handel) during Advent and Easter seasons, featuring guest soloists accompanied by full orchestra. This was the first and the longest-running series of performances ofMessiah presenting the completeoratorio in the Washington, D.C. area[citation needed].
In November 2005, he performedSamuel Barber'sToccata Festiva for the second time in theWashington National Cathedral withLeonard Slatkin conducting.[3] He also performed the complete BachGoldberg Variations inrecital on multiple occasions and was a featured organ soloist with theNational Symphony Orchestra.
Lewis's performing and conducting career included appearances with theMinnesota Orchestra, theNew York Philharmonic, theHandel Festival, Halle, theBachfest Leipzig, theAspen Music Festival, the Cologne New Music Festival and the Mozart Festival in New York and Washington. During a Chinese/American Festival inTaipei's main concert hall, he played the organ and later conducted the orchestra and chorus in 20th century works, including a world premiere by the Chinese composerGordon Shi-Wen Chin. He made his National Symphony Orchestra debut in December 2002, guest conductingHandel'sMessiah at theJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Lewis received thePaul Hume Award from theLevine School of Music, for "outstanding commitment to enriching the cultural life of Washington".[4] His work with children and youth includes the education and outreach programs of both the Cathedral Choral Society and the Washington Bach Consort. In April 2004, he received theDistinguished Washingtonian Award from theUniversity Club of Washington, DC in honor of its centennial.[5][citation needed] In January 2006,Washingtonian magazine named Lewis as a 2005 "Washingtonian of the Year".[6]In 2010, Lewis was inducted in Washington, D.C. as a National Patron ofDelta Omicron, an international, professional music fraternity.[7]
Lewis died of a heart attack on June 9, 2016, at his home in Arlington, Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Beth Lewis; daughter Lauren Currie Lewis; and grandson Ocea Currie.[8][9]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
