Leo Driehuys

Dutch conductor and oboe player. (1932-2019) Leo Driehuys graduated with honors from the Royal Conservatory of Music, where he studied both piano and oboe. His talent on the oboe led to a recording contract with the Phillips label, and two of his recorded concerti sold more than a million copies each. He began his musical career in the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam for one year and became principal oboe with the Dutch Opera Orchestra for nine years. He made his conducting debut in 1960 with the Netherlands Opera. He was the permanent conductor of the Netherlands Dance Theater from 1963 to 1965. He then became conductor of the Dutch Radio Philharmonic, Radio Chamber and Radio (Opera) Orchestras. Beginning in 1970, he also was the permanent conductor of the Gelders Orkest in Arnhem. He was appointed Music Director of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in 1977. During the 17 years that he served there, the orchestra grew to a worldwide recognized symphony that toured Europe in 1987. While in Charlotte, Driehuys conducted such musical greats as André Watts, Yo-Yo Ma, Isaac Stern and Itzhak Perlman. As a guest, he has conducted numerous orchestras around the world including those in Dusseldorf, Prague, Berlin, Rome, Barcelona and Mexico City. He is now Music Director of The Millbrook Orchestra Shepherdstown, West Virginia, USA.