Symphony of Southeast Texas Music Director
American conductor Chelsea Tipton, II, has won over audiences and critics alike with his vibrant musicality, accessibility, versatility, and commitment to Arts education. He is in his twelfth season as Music Director of The Symphony of Southeast Texas and seventh season as Principal Pops Conductor with New Haven Symphony Orchestra. Tipton served as Resident Conductor of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra for seven exceptionally successful seasons and also served as Associate Conductor of the Savannah Symphony Orchestra for four seasons.
This season, when not on stage at the Julie Rogers Theater in Beaumont, Tipton will be found guest conducting Toledo Symphony Orchestra, The Colour of Music Festival (Charleston, SC), Lake Charles Symphony and the Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra. He will also be serving as conductor for a special concert with Pop artist Sting with his hometown orchestra, the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra.
A decided change of venue that spotlighted the maestro’s versatility occurred during the summer of 2011 when Tipton was chosen to accompany Sting on an extensive European tour. This tour covered 15 countries where Tipton worked with 19 different European orchestras; his task was to prepare the musicians for the concerts. Tipton not only rehearsed the orchestras, but also performed with Sting in concert in the Canary Islands, Granada, and Cap Roig, Spain.
As a sought-after guest conductor, Tipton has appeared with numerous major orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana (Palermo), Dohnanyi Symphony Orchestra (Budapest), Atlanta Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic, Nashville Symphony, Memphis Symphony, and the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra among others. One highlight of Tipton’s career, he was requested by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner to serve as the conductor for the Memorial concert celebrating the life of Former President George Bush on the steps of City Hall with the Houston Symphony Orchestra.
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra recognized Tipton with its first annual Aspire Award recipient. This award identifies accomplished professional musicians who are African American or Latino who also demonstrate a tremendous commitment to community, music education, and inclusiveness. The Neches River Festival in Beaumont also honored Tipton with the Citizen of the Year was honored to receive the Community Spotlight Award from Capital One Bank for community leadership in Beaumont.
Tipton earned a Master of Music degree in orchestral conducting from Northern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance from the Eastman School of Music, with additional studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Tipton has also studied at the Conductors Retreat at Medomak, the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors in Hancock, Maine, and the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra Conductor’s Workshop under Markand Thakar. As an avid learner and leader, Tipton will continue to engage in professional learning opportunities to enrich his musicality, versatility, and commitment to arts education.
Media
Maestro Chelsea Tipton II answers the question, What is Jazz, the topic for our 2020 Youth Education Concert that had to be cancelled. Discussion includes information about Scott Joplin, George Gershwin, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington.
