The Artistic Director

James Brooks-Bruzzese,
Artistic Director

Dr. James Brooks-Bruzzese was born in Panama in a bilingual home — his mother born in Colombia and his late father a member of the United States Armed Forces. He received his doctorate in Opera Conducting and Musicology from Washington University in St. Louis and coached with the great Pablo Casals. Maestro Brooks-Bruzzese performs his artistic mastery stirring audiences in orchestral performances at the most prestigious venues worldwide. To name a few, the Berlin Symphony, the Hungarian Virtuosi at the famed Vigado Theater in Budapest,  the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; Natal Philharmonic, the symphony orchestras of  Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and the Capetown Opera Company, all in South Africa. Other guest appearances include the Xalapa Symphony in Mexico, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Teatro Circulo and Salon Piazzolla in Argentina. Maestro has toured the former Soviet Union under the auspices of Gosconcert and is the first American to conduct the National Orchestra of Pleven, Bulgaria and be presented with the official medal of the city.

Brooks-Bruzzese, the international Maestro who calls South Florida home, has carried the fine artistic reputation of the Symphony to the great cultural capitals of the world as well as to rural areas, schools and conservatories. This, in an effort to bring the highest quality live music and interpreters to a most diverse audience.

His studies were with eminent conductors Leonard Slatkin, now director of the National Symphony Orchestra, Ignace Strassfogel of New York’s Metropolitan Opera and Richard Karp of the Pittsburgh Opera. Their mentorship is clearly evident in the Maestro’s founding of the Augusta Opera, Florida Music Festival and SUMMERFEST, now in its 18th summer season. This major music festival takes place in Europe, the eastern seaboard of the United States, numerous countries of Central & South America and islands in the Caribbean.

As part of his commitment to our youth Maestro takes time to bring the highest quality music education programming to young people at home and abroad.

Brooks’ twenty-four recordings include Seasons of Change with the Hungarian Virtuosi, Crazy for Gershwin and Hollywood Favourites with the Xalapa Symphony, Echoes of Habsburg with Capella Istropolitana, Scent of Tango I and II, and Alpine Romanze with the Arpeggione Chamber Orchestra, to name a few. His recordings are with Pickwick Records in London under the Hallmark & Orchid Labels as well as the Symphony’s own label.

Maestro as a Hispanic, has successfully toured the former Soviet Union, conducted at the famed Vigado, Concertgebouw  & Teatro Colon theaters, and is the First Hispanic to bring music education programs from the United States to young children throughout Latin America.

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation honored Maestro Brooks at the Kennedy Center with their 2005  Hispanic Heritage Award for the Arts in recognition of his lifelong work as a world-renowned conductor as well as his dedication to promoting classical music to youth as an educator throughout the world.  James Brooks-Bruzzese has been recognized by elected officials in the State of Florida, heads of state and dignitaries all over the world, receiving the Critics Choice Award at the Villa Lobos Festival in Brazil.   President Ronald Reagan praised Maestro as an “Ambassador to Latin America for his exceptional musical talents and diplomatic skills.”

Visit Maestro Website http://www.jamesbrooks-bruzzese.com