Edward Cumming

Education

DMA, Yale School of Music

MMA, Yale School of Music

MM, Yale School of Music

BA, University of California at Berkeley

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Before joining faculty of The Hartt School, Edward Cumming was Music Director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, hailed for its remarkable artistic growth during his tenure. His appointment came after a two-year search process involving nearly 300 applicants from around the world.

Before coming to Hartford, Cumming was Resident Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony, where he stepped in on short notice to conduct a program of which the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote, “some conductors could not do as well even with months to prepare.” As Resident Conductor of the Florida Orchestra, Cumming conducted a recording of the "Star Spangled Banner" with Whitney Houston and the Florida Orchestra for Super Bowl XXV.

As a guest conductor abroad, Mr. Cumming has led Orquesta Ciudad de Granada (Spain), South Bohemian Chamber Orchestra (Czech Republic), BBC Ulster Orchestra (Belfast), Belgrade Philharmonic (Serbia), Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Sinfonietta Be'er Sheva, and the Filarmónica de Bogotá, in which he conducted Schoenberg’s Pelleas und Melisande on short notice. In the United States, he has conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Oregon Symphony, the San Diego, Santa Barbara, Pacific and Long Beach symphony orchestras, Rochester Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony, Knoxville Symphony, and the Boston Pops. 

As an educator, Cumming has taught at colleges all over the country, including Yale University, California State University in Fullerton, University of South Florida in Tampa, and Pacific University (OR). He was Music Director of the nationally-acclaimed Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, one of just five orchestras invited to the biennial National Youth Orchestra Festival. He was founding Music Director of the Pacific Symphony Institute, and has also taught at the Orange County High School for the Arts. In August 2016, he will start a one year appointment as Music Director of the Vermont Youth Orchestra.

After receiving a Doctorate in Music from Yale University, Cumming conducted in master classes with Pierre Boulez at Oberlin College, and with Riccardo Muti at the Curtis Institute. As an undergraduate at the University of California at Berkeley, he was awarded the prestigious Eisner Prize for Creative Achievement in the Arts.  In May 2010, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Trinity College.