Briccetti, Thomas (Bernard)

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Briccetti, Thomas (Bernard)

Briccetti, Thomas (Bernard), American conductor and composer; b. Mt. Kisco, N.Y., Jan, 14, 1936; d. Perugia, May 27, 1999. He studied piano with Jean Dansereau and composition with Barber, Mennin, and Hovhaness, and attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. (1955). In 1959-60 he held the Prix de Rome, and then Ford Foundation Composer’s fellowships (1961–63). He was music director of the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Sym. Orch. (1963–68) and the Florida Sun Coast Opera (1964–68). He was assoc. conductor of the Indianapolis Sym. Orch. (1968–72). From 1971 to 1978 he was music director of the Ft. Wayne (Ind.) Phil., and also of the Cleveland Inst. of Music Univ. Circle Orch. (1972–75). He was music director of the Omaha Sym. Orch. and Nebr. Sinfonia (1975–83). After serving as principal guest conductor of the Stavanger Sym. Orch. and Radio Ensemble (1986–87), he was artistic director of the Orch. Stabile in Bergamo (from 1988) and principal conductor of the Orch. Sinfonica in Umbria (from 1988). His compositions included Eurydice, opera; Sym.; Violin Concerto; The Fountain of Youth, overture; Illusions, symphonic poem; String Quartet; Flute Sonata; Piano Sonata; choral music; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire