David Lockington (born October 11, 1956), is the Music Director Laureate of the Grand Rapids Symphony located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. Lockington became the 13th music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony in January 1999 and stepped down from the post in May 2015 at the end of his 16th season with the orchestra. Prior to his tenure in Grand Rapids, Lockington served as the music director for the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra (1996–2000) and the Long Island Philharmonic (1995–2000). In May 2007, Lockington was named music director of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra in Modesto, California. Since March 2013, Lockington has been the music director of the Pasadena Symphony in Pasadena, California.
Biography
Early life
Lockington was born as David Kirkman Lockington on October 11, 1956, in Dartford, Kent, UK. His father was a podiatrist and an amateur cellist. Lockington followed his father's interest in the cello and started taking cello lessons when he "was just about 10." He completed his education in Great Britain at the University of Cambridge, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree as a choral scholar.
Career in Great Britain
As a boy, Lockington sang in the English National Opera in productions such as the Magic Flute. David was principal cellist of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. At sixteen, he began his career as a cellist and was the Principal Cellist with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain for the last two years in that work.
Immigration and Career in the United States
In 1978, Lockington moved to the United States from Great Britain. He became a citizen. He came on a scholarship to Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, US, where he studied cello performance and conducting. In cello performance, Lockington received a master's degree. In conducting, he studied with Otto-Werner Mueller. After graduating, Lockington served as a cellist with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra and served as assistant principal cellist with the Denver Symphony Orchestra for three years before he turned to conducting.
Lockington married violinist Dylana Jenson. They have four children.
Grand Rapids Symphony: 1999-2015
From January 1999 to May 2015, Lockington served as the Music Director of the Grand Rapids Symphony, Grand Rapids, Michigan. In his fourteen seasons as Music Director, he "created a lasting legacy of artistic achievements and genuine community enrichment." The New York Times commended the Grand Rapids Symphony, under Lockington's artistic leadership for "being a model in the Classical music world."
In May 2005, Lockington Guest Conducted the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall. He considers the Grand Rapids Symphony’s seventy-fifth anniversary trip (founded in 1930) to Carnegie Hall "his greatest achievement."
In 2008, Lockington initiated the successful Grand Rapids Symphony Youth Choruses. Also, at his initiative, the Symphony reached out to new and diverse audiences through its annual community concert “Symphony with Soul.”
From May 2007 to March 2013, in addition to his work with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Lockington held the position of Music Director with the Modesto Symphony . He traveled from Grand Rapid to California monthly "to tend to his responsibilities there."
In the 2015-2016 season, Lockington was named one of three Artistic Partners with the Northwest Sinfonietta in Tacoma, Washington.
During Lockington's tenure with the Grand Rapids Symphony, pop music was incorporated into the classical repertoire. It also began collaborating with the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. The Symphony also gained national attention for its Grammy nomination in 2007 for “Invention and Alchemy,” a DVD and CD collaboration with harpist Deborah Henson-Conant.
Lockington and the orchestra’s musicians encouraged a relationship with the community by "a variety of community outreach and educational programs." The educational programs included "a side-by-side concert series that allows high school students to perform with symphony members at their school." It also included "an Artists in Residence partnership that allows symphony members to work with elementary school kids from kindergarten through the sixth grade."
During Lockington's tenure with the Grand Rapids Symphony, either he or his Associate Conductor John Varineau conducted the Richard and Helen DeVos Classical Series, Casual Classics Series, Edward Jones Coffee Classics, Fox Motors Pops Series, Chase Picnic Pops, and DTE Energy Foundation Family Series concerts, in addition to special events, educational and festival concerts with the Grand Rapids Symphony.