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Teddy Abrams
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Key Information

Edward "Teddy" Paul Maxwell Abrams (born May 6, 1987) is an American conductor, pianist, clarinetist, and composer. He is currently Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra and previously led the Britt Festival Orchestra.[1]

Early life and education

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Abrams was born in Berkeley, California, to non-musician parents, and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Abrams is a fourth-generation American. His ancestors immigrated to the US from Russia, Poland, and Hungary.[2] Abrams started improvising on piano at the age of three and began formal lessons at the age of five. At age of eight, Abrams began playing clarinet, in elementary school band, and he developed an interest in conducting, after seeing a San Francisco Symphony performance at age of nine. He began studying conducting and musicianship with Michael Tilson Thomas, the music director of the San Francisco Symphony, at the age of 12.

Abrams never attended middle or high school. Instead, he took general education courses at community colleges in the Bay Area, including Laney College and Foothill College, from age 11 to 16.[3] He then transferred to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, graduating with a Bachelor of Music at age 18 and studying piano with Paul Hersh and clarinet with David Breeden. In 2005, Abrams entered the Curtis Institute of Music as a conducting major, studying with Otto-Werner Mueller and Ford Lallerstedt. Abrams also studied with David Zinman at the Aspen Music Festival and School. Abrams was the youngest conducting student ever accepted at both Curtis and Aspen.[4]

Career

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Teddy's 2017–18 season included debuts with the Los Angeles, Malaysian, and Rhode Island Philharmonics; the Milwaukee, Fort Worth, Princeton, and Omaha Symphonies; and The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Recent guest conducting highlights include engagements with the San Francisco, Houston, Vancouver, Colorado, and Phoenix Symphonies; Florida Orchestra; the Louisiana and New Mexico Philharmonics; and at the Kennedy Center. He has a longstanding relationship with the Indianapolis Symphony, and recently conducted them with Time for Three for a special recorded for PBS.[5]

From 2008 to 2011, Abrams was the Conducting Fellow of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach. Abrams has conducted the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Washington DC, and at Carnegie Hall; his 2009 Education Concerts with the New World Symphony (featuring the world premiere of one of Abrams' own orchestral works) were webcast to hundreds of schools throughout South Florida.[6]

From 2011 to 2012, Abrams served as Resident Conductor of the MAV Symphony Orchestra in Budapest, Hungary. In 2012, he was appointed Assistant Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where he conducted the orchestra's neighborhood, community, and education programs. He also helped program its chamber music and contemporary music concerts, and led subscription and pops performances.[7] Abrams served as Assistant Conductor of the Detroit Symphony from 2012 to 2014.

Abrams performs frequently as a pianist and clarinetist, and he co-founded the Sixth Floor Trio with Harrison Hollingsworth and Johnny Teyssier in 2008. The Trio has performed around the country, establishing residencies in communities in North Carolina, Philadelphia, New York and South Florida; and founded and directed GardenMusic, the music festival of the world-renowned Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami.[8] The Sixth Floor Trio has served as the resident ensemble for the Knight Foundation's Random Acts of Culture series nationwide having performed more than 260 pop-up performances.[9]

Abrams performed as a keyboardist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, won the 2007 Aspen Composition Contest, and was the assistant conductor of the YouTube Symphony at Carnegie Hall in 2009. He has held residencies at the La Mortella music festival in Ischia, Italy and at the American Academy in Berlin.

Abrams has conducted many orchestras around the world, including the Houston Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Indianapolis Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, and New Mexico Philharmonic.[10]

As the Music Director and Conductor for the Britt Music & Arts Festival Orchestra, Abrams was designated to lead approximately 40 Britt Orchestra musicians in the performances at Crater Lake National Park in July 2016. The project was funded by the National Endowment for the Arts project "Imagine Your Parks", which celebrated the centennial of the National Parks.[11]

In June 2016, Abrams composed and recorded "Float Rumble Rest" as a tribute to Muhammad Ali and a benefit for the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville. The song features My Morning Jacket's Jim James on guitar.[12]

Louisville Orchestra

[edit]

As Music Director of The Louisville Orchestra, Abrams' mission has been to make broad, inclusive music available to everyone in the community by undertaking ambitious creative projects, and developing a large body of commissioned works. Abrams and The Louisville Orchestra have collaborated with the Louisville Ballet, Aoife O'Donovan, Rachel Grimes, Chase Morrin, Mason Bates, Béla Fleck, and hundreds of Louisville community musicians for Leonard Bernstein's Mass.[13][14]

Abrams debuted more than 10 world premieres of major works in his first two seasons with The Louisville Orchestra. The 2017 world premiere of Abrams' own composition, Muhammad Ali Portrait, as part of a two-week Festival of American Music that also featured guest conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.[15]

Film and video

[edit]

Music Makes a City Now is a PBS web series that followed Abrams and The Louisville Orchestra through the first two seasons of his tenure.[16]

Compositions

[edit]
  • Unified Field (2016) for orchestra
  • Overture In Sonata Form (2014) for orchestra
  • Still Standing (2014) for voice and orchestra
  • Kentucky Royal Fanfare (2015) for brass ensemble
  • Fiddling (2015) for string orchestra
  • Questions (2015) for voice and orchestra
  • Schubertiade (2015) for violin or two violins and piano or orchestra
  • Rye Smooth (2015) for jazz ensemble
  • Actuality (2014) for piano or ensemble
  • Seconds (2015) for jazz ensemble
  • Romance (2015) for contrabass and orchestra
  • The Well And The Road (2014) for voice and orchestra
  • Rock (2012) for clarinet, bassoon, and piano
  • Sixth Floor (2007) for clarinet, bassoon, violin, bass, vibraphone, drumset, piano
  • Bassoon Sonata (2007) for bassoon and piano
  • Piano Concerto (2022)

Awards

[edit]

Discography

[edit]

References

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[edit]
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Teddy Abrams

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Teddy Abrams (born May 6, 1987) is an American conductor, , , and clarinetist, recognized for his innovative leadership of the Louisville Orchestra as its since 2014 (contract extended through 2028), where he has revitalized the ensemble through , new compositions, and Grammy-winning recordings. A protégé of from age 11, Abrams began studying at age 12 and earned a diploma in from the in 2008, followed by training with at the Aspen Music Festival. His early career included serving as a conducting fellow and assistant conductor with the New World Symphony from 2008 to 2011, resident conductor of Hungary's MAV Symphony Orchestra from 2011 to 2012, and assistant conductor of the from 2012 to 2014. Abrams has garnered acclaim as Musical America's 2022 Conductor of the Year and a Grammy Award winner for his 2023 recording of the he composed for with the Louisville Orchestra. As a composer, his works include the orchestral piece (2023) and the developing Broadway musical , while his performances as a soloist have featured play-conducting the Ravel and collaborations with ensembles like the St. Petersburg . In 2025, he was named the Aspen Institute's Harman/Eisner for the 2025/26 season, and he previously served as of the Britt Festival Orchestra until 2023. In September 2025, he was appointed Artistic and Executive Director of the Ojai Music Festival, effective September 2026.

Early life and education

Early life

Edward Paul Maxwell Abrams, known as Teddy, was born on May 6, 1987, in . He is a fourth-generation American, with ancestors who immigrated to the around 1906 from , , and . The son of two attorneys who were not musicians themselves, Abrams grew up primarily in Oakland in the , where his family's home included a that had belonged to his mother, fulfilling her unachieved childhood aspiration to play. Abrams displayed an early affinity for music, beginning to improvise on the piano around age four or five and starting formal lessons shortly thereafter, with an emphasis on improvisation and composition rather than strictly classical repertoire. At age eight, inspired by a high school band performance during an assembly, he took up the clarinet, quickly progressing through the beginner's method book in just one week and practicing one to two hours daily. His musical interests extended beyond classical training to include jazz, folk, bluegrass, and klezmer, genres he explored through improvisation and ensemble playing in his youth. At age nine, after attending his first orchestral concert—a San Francisco Symphony performance led by Michael Tilson Thomas—Abrams became captivated by conducting; he wrote a detailed letter to Thomas expressing his aspiration, which prompted an encouraging reply advising him to study 20th-century composers like Stravinsky and Bartók. He began self-studying conducting through score analysis and local youth opportunities, making his first conducting appearance at age ten during a children's concert. To accommodate his intensifying musical pursuits, Abrams bypassed traditional middle and high school, enrolling at age eleven in courses at institutions like in Oakland and , which provided flexible scheduling and allowed him to accumulate transferable credits by age sixteen. This accelerated academic path was partly necessitated by an issue at a prospective , enabling him to balance rigorous studies in theory, , and . Around age twelve, his correspondence with Thomas evolved into a formal , including private lessons, score study sessions, and invitations to observe professional rehearsals with the Symphony, profoundly shaping his technique and artistic vision.

Education

Abrams earned a degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2005 at the age of 18, where he studied , with Paul Hersh, and with David Breeden. He then attended the , graduating with a in conducting in 2008; there, he received advanced training under Otto-Werner Mueller and Ford Lallerstedt, becoming the youngest conducting student ever accepted to the institution. Abrams also participated in summer intensives at the , studying conducting with and marking another milestone as the youngest student admitted to the program's conducting cohort. From 2008 to 2011, Abrams served as Conducting Fellow and Assistant Conductor of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, where he worked closely with , led public performances, and developed educational programs, including webcast concerts for schools that featured the world premiere of one of his own orchestral works.

Conducting career

Early positions

Following his tenure as Conducting Fellow and Assistant Conductor at the New World Symphony from 2008 to 2011, where he gained hands-on experience in orchestral training and community engagement, Teddy Abrams transitioned to his first international resident position. In 2011, at age 24, he became Resident Conductor of Hungary's MAV Symphony Orchestra in , serving through 2012. During this period, Abrams led subscription concerts, toured with the ensemble, and participated in educational outreach initiatives, drawing on his partial Hungarian heritage to connect with local audiences and musicians. In 2012, Abrams returned to the as Assistant Conductor of the , a role he held until 2014. There, he conducted subscription series programs and oversaw the orchestra's youth initiatives, including educational concerts designed to introduce to schoolchildren through interactive performances and additional community events. These experiences solidified his reputation for innovative programming that bridged traditional repertoire with accessible, audience-focused presentations. Earlier, in while still a student, Abrams co-founded the Sixth Floor Trio with clarinetist Johnny Teyssier and bassist Harrison Hollingsworth, later expanding to include percussion. The ensemble specializes in that blends classical traditions with improvised elements, fostering dialogue between genres through original compositions and arrangements performed at festivals and intimate venues. Concurrently, Abrams made early debuts with prominent regional U.S. orchestras, including his Symphony conducting debut in 2012, marking a key step in establishing his professional profile in the early .

Louisville Orchestra

Teddy Abrams was appointed music director of the Louisville Orchestra in September 2014, becoming the youngest leader in the institution's history at age 26. His tenure, now entering its twelfth season in 2025–26, has emphasized community engagement and inclusive programming to broaden the orchestra's reach and relevance in Louisville and beyond. In August 2025, Abrams signed a three-year contract extension, securing his leadership through the 2027–28 season. In his first two seasons, Abrams prioritized American and contemporary , leading the of more than ten major new works to revitalize the orchestra's historic commitment to innovation. This focus included re-establishing the annual Festival of American Music, which highlights living composers and has become a cornerstone of his programming. Abrams launched the Creators Corps composer residency program in the 2022–23 season, inviting emerging artists to immerse themselves in Louisville's culture while receiving salary, housing, and collaborative opportunities with the . By 2025, the program had welcomed nine composers across three seasons, commissioning new works that integrate local influences and continue the Louisville Orchestra's legacy of over 120 original commissions since its founding. Under Abrams' leadership, the orchestra has fostered collaborations with local artists, including rapper in the 2024 "No Place Like Home" performances and My Morning Jacket's on the 2019 song cycle album The Order of Nature, which reimagines James' compositions with orchestral arrangements recorded live during the Festival of American Music. Following the orchestra's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2010 and subsequent reorganization, Abrams has driven revitalization efforts, including community outreach programs that balanced the budget by 2013 and expanded access through initiatives like Music Without Borders and the LO Rap School. Key educational endeavors include the Music Makes a City Now, which documented his early tenure and highlighted the orchestra's role in civic life. These efforts extend to the "In Harmony" tour, launched in 2022 and funded by a $4.3 million appropriation, which brings free performances to communities across the state through 2026.

Guest conducting and festivals

Abrams served as and Conductor of the Britt Festival Orchestra in , from 2013 to 2023, overseeing a decade of outdoor summer programming that featured classical concerts amid the scenic landscape. In September 2025, Abrams was appointed Artistic and Executive Director of the Ojai Music Festival, effective September 1, 2026, with his first festival in June 2027; in this role, he aims to curate innovative lineups that emphasize creativity, , and global connections to engage diverse audiences. His guest conducting engagements have included major North American orchestras such as the , where he has made multiple return appearances; the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, with his debut in the 2017–2018 season; and the , debuting in March 2025 with a program featuring Tchaikovsky's . Internationally, Abrams has led European ensembles including the Helsinki Philharmonic and Luxembourg Philharmonic, and collaborated with cellist on the multimedia project in 2023, a performance staged inside Kentucky's that explored themes of nature and human connection through original music. In the 2025–2026 season, Abrams is scheduled for debuts with the , Nashville Symphony, Orchestra in , and in . His innovative programming and community-focused initiatives at the Louisville Orchestra have enhanced his profile, leading to these high-profile guest invitations.

Compositions

Orchestral works

Teddy Abrams has composed a range of instrumental works for and chamber ensembles, often drawing on his multifaceted background in classical, , and to create pieces that bridge genres while emphasizing structural innovation and emotional depth. His orchestral compositions frequently incorporate American cultural motifs and collaborative elements, reflecting his role as of the Louisville , where many of these works received their premieres. These pieces prioritize lyrical expressiveness and rhythmic vitality, avoiding narrative storytelling in favor of abstract musical exploration. One of Abrams' notable orchestral contributions is Unified Field (2015), a score in four movements commissioned for the Louisville Ballet and premiered by the Louisville under his direction, with by Adam Hougland. Lasting approximately 18 minutes, the work features an expanded including piccolo, bass clarinet, , , keyboard, , and electric bass alongside standard strings and , blending classical with electronic and rock-infused timbres to evoke a sense of interconnected sonic landscapes. The piece's swirling, impressionistic textures draw comparisons to Maurice Ravel's scores, such as Daphnis et Chloé, while its structure supports dynamic dance sequences that explore themes of unity and motion. In 2022, Abrams premiered his , a 35-minute work in eleven continuous sections specially commissioned for pianist , a longtime collaborator from their days at the . Performed by Wang with the Louisville Orchestra conducted by Abrams at the Kentucky Center in Louisville, the concerto opens with a swing-inflected big-band overture and incorporates diverse American styles, including Gershwin-esque orchestral interludes, solos, rhythms, gospel echoes, and Broadway-inspired flourishes, showcasing the piano's percussive and melodic versatility. A live recording of the premiere was released by in March 2023 as part of Wang's album The American Project, earning a Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo in 2024. Float Rumble Rest (2016) serves as an orchestral tribute to , premiered by the Louisville Orchestra at the in Louisville shortly after the boxer's death on June 3, 2016. Inspired by Ali's iconic phrase "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee," the over-eight-minute piece captures the athlete's grace, power, and resilience through pulsating rhythms and lyrical swells, with an initial duo version featuring Abrams on keyboards and on guitar released by sonaBLAST! Records to benefit the Ali Center. Motifs from this work later informed broader multimedia extensions, such as the Muhammad Ali Portrait project. Abrams' Preludes (2025) comprises 16 contemplative solo piano pieces, developed from improvisational exercises during the and refined for accessibility across skill levels, with a full set of 26 pieces available for broader use. Drawing inspiration from J.S. Bach's Inventions and Béla Bartók's Mikrokosmos, the collection emphasizes simplicity, restraint, and playful experimentation on any , incorporating subtle electro-acoustic treatments like reverbs and pitch shifts in the recording to enhance its introspective mood. Released on July 25, 2025, by New Amsterdam Records, the album was produced by and Casey Foubert, recorded at Flora Recording & Playback in , and reflects Abrams' jazz training through rhythmic flexibility and idiomatic phrasing, though rooted in neoclassical structures. Abrams' early chamber music, particularly through the Sixth Floor Trio he co-founded in 2008 with clarinetist Johnny Teyssier and bassist Harrison Hollingsworth, features improvisational works that foster dialogue between classical, , and vernacular traditions. The ensemble, dedicated to new music creation, premiered pieces like Sixth Floor (2007), an 11-minute composition for , , , , , drumset, and , emphasizing spontaneous interplay and genre-blending textures. From 2008 onward, the trio's output included unnotated improvisations performed at events like the GardenMusic festival, highlighting Abrams' skills as a and in collaborative, boundary-pushing settings.

Multimedia projects

Abrams co-composed the rap-opera The Greatest: with and Jubilant Sykes, which premiered in 2017 with the Louisville Orchestra in , fusing hip-hop, , and narrative elements to celebrate the life of the boxing legend and Louisville native. The work features spoken-word poetry, rap verses, and orchestral scoring, drawing on Ali's own words and poems to explore themes of identity, , and resilience, and has been performed multiple times since its debut. In 2023, Abrams premiered Mammoth, an orchestral multimedia piece performed inside Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, featuring soloists Yo-Yo Ma on cello and Davóne Tines as bass-baritone, alongside the Louisville Orchestra and Louisville Chamber Choir. The composition integrates the cave's natural acoustics and visual environment to address ecological preservation and the prehistoric history of the site, blending orchestral textures with vocal and instrumental solos to evoke a sense of timeless connection to the earth. Abrams collaborated with vocalist on All In, a 2017 song cycle for voice and orchestra that premiered with the Louisville Orchestra, incorporating Abrams' original compositions alongside arrangements of works by and to highlight American musical traditions through theatrical and jazz-inflected performance. Large's dynamic interpretations bring depth to the pieces, emphasizing themes of and cultural fusion in a multimedia setting. As part of the 2024 Emerson Collective Fellowship, Abrams is developing * Broadway-bound musical about Ali's life and , originally planned to premiere in in spring 2025 before opening on Broadway in fall 2025 but indefinitely postponed in November 2024 due to scheduling conflicts, building on his earlier explorations of the icon's legacy through interdisciplinary storytelling and orchestral elements. The project involves collaborative composition to blend musical theater, rap, and symphonic music, focusing on Ali's role as a cultural and civil rights figure. In The American Project (2023), a multi-composer orchestral initiative premiered with Yuja Wang and the Louisville Orchestra under Abrams' direction, Abrams contributed his , which reflects on American identity through jazz-inspired rhythms and virtuosic between soloist and , alongside works by other composers to form a broader cycle on national themes. The project emphasizes collaborative multimedia presentation, combining live performance, recording, and visual elements to explore diverse facets of .

Media appearances

Film and documentaries

Teddy Abrams has been prominently featured in the web documentary series Music Makes a Now, which launched in 2015 and chronicles his early tenure as of the . The series, produced by Owsley Brown Presents and directed by Anne Flatté, consists of short episodic films that document the orchestra's revival efforts, including community outreach initiatives and collaborations aimed at building through music. Episodes highlight Abrams' leadership in fostering interdisciplinary projects, such as partnerships with local arts organizations, and explore themes of arts advocacy in a post-industrial like Louisville. Ongoing since its inception, the series has produced multiple seasons, with content continuing to capture Abrams' role in revitalizing the ensemble's cultural impact. Abrams has contributed original scores to several documentary films, blending orchestral and contemporary elements to enhance narrative depth. In 2021, he co-composed the soundtrack for Building a Bridge, a documentary directed by Cynthia Wright that premiered at the and follows Father James Martin's efforts to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion within the [Catholic Church](/page/Catholic Church). Working with collaborator Nathan Farrington, Abrams crafted a score that underscores the film's emotional themes of reconciliation and advocacy, drawing on his signature fusion of classical and modern influences. Earlier, in 2012, Abrams provided the original soundtrack for SoulCatchers, a short environmental documentary screened at the DC Environmental Film Festival, where his music accompanies visuals of clay sculptures depicting ecological themes. These contributions demonstrate Abrams' versatility in applying his compositional style to cinematic storytelling, often emphasizing humanistic and communal narratives.

Video and broadcasts

Teddy Abrams has featured prominently in PBS specials highlighting his work with the Louisville Orchestra, including interviews and performances that showcase community engagement and musical innovation. In July 2023, PBS aired "A Decade of Music with Teddy Abrams" on Inside Louisville, which celebrated his tenure as music director since 2014 and explored his initiatives to blend classical music with local culture. Similarly, in October 2023, Abrams appeared on PBS NewsHour in a segment titled "Young conductor using music to serve his community," discussing how the orchestra's programs foster social connections in Kentucky. These broadcasts extended to previews of the orchestra's In Harmony tour, with a January 2024 episode of Kentucky Edition on PBS detailing the statewide initiative to deliver free concerts across the Commonwealth, featuring Abrams' vision for accessible music-making. In May 2025, PBS broadcast "Louisville Orchestra's Creators Corps with Teddy Abrams," where he elaborated on the program's role in nurturing emerging composers and performers. The 2025 In Harmony tour, spanning April, July, and September, included additional PBS coverage of its diverse repertoire and collaborations, emphasizing Abrams' commitment to regional outreach. Abrams' guest conducting appearances have been captured in various YouTube and streaming videos, providing glimpses into his dynamic style with orchestras beyond Louisville. For his debut with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in February 2026, promotional clips were shared on the orchestra's YouTube channel, including segments previewing a Valentine's Concert featuring clarinetist Martin Fröst in American compositions. Likewise, his Nashville Symphony debut in the 2025-26 season, conducting Time for Three in Mason Bates' Silicon Hymnal, generated streaming content on the symphony's platform, highlighting Abrams' genre-blending approach. Earlier guest spots, such as a 2021 behind-the-scenes video with the Pacific Symphony on YouTube, demonstrated his preparation techniques, a format that continued in 2025 announcements for his debuts. In September 2025, Abrams participated in the online series Origins: Teddy Abrams on Musicians Journal, a feature that delved into his career beginnings through personal anecdotes and archival insights. The episode, published on September 10, covered his early improvisations at age four, his introduction to the in second grade, and formative influences like mentor during his time with the Symphony. Live-streamed collaborations have further amplified Abrams' reach, notably his 2023 partnership with for the multimedia work . Premiered at on April 29, the event was broadcast live on 90.5 WUOL and featured on , with Abrams conducting the Louisville Orchestra and chamber ensembles alongside Ma's performance in the cave's unique acoustics. This stream, part of the Our Common Nature initiative, underscored themes of environmental harmony through Abrams' original score. In October 2025, an episode of the Our Common Nature podcast revisited the Mammoth project, featuring Abrams' music and discussions with on its environmental themes.

Awards and honors

Major awards

Teddy Abrams won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo at the in 2024 for The American Project, a recording of his performed by with the on . This marked Abrams' first Grammy win and highlighted his compositional and conducting contributions to contemporary American music. In 2022, Abrams was named Musical America Conductor of the Year, an honor recognizing his innovative programming and community engagement as music director of the Louisville Orchestra, including initiatives like the Creators Corps for emerging composers. The award underscored his role in revitalizing the orchestra through multimedia projects and new music commissions. In 2025, Abrams received the Ottenheimer Award, the Jewish Community of Louisville's highest honor, for his leadership of the Louisville Orchestra. Earlier in his career, Abrams received composition accolades.

Residencies and fellowships

Teddy Abrams served as the Conducting Fellow and Assistant Conductor of the New World Symphony from 2008 to 2011. In this role, he led multiple performances with the ensemble, honing his interpretive and leadership abilities in contemporary orchestral settings, which continued to influence his collaborative approach in subsequent positions. In 2024, Abrams was awarded the Emerson Collective Fellowship to support his artistic initiatives, including the composition of ALI, a musical exploring the life of Muhammad Ali, and an orchestral work chronicling Kentucky's history and cultural narrative for premiere with the Louisville Orchestra. Abrams was selected as the 2025–2026 Harman/Eisner Artist-in-Residence for the Aspen Institute Arts Program, a position enabling him to integrate his musical perspective into policy dialogues, leadership forums, and events across Aspen, New York, and Washington, D.C., while dedicating time to new orchestral compositions. This residency emphasizes cross-disciplinary engagement to address civic challenges through the arts. In September 2025, Abrams was appointed Artistic and Executive Director of the Ojai Music Festival, effective September 1, 2026, functioning as an extended creative residency to shape innovative programming alongside his ongoing work with the Louisville Orchestra. His tenure will begin with the festival's 81st edition in June 2027, building on the event's tradition of curation.

Discography

Studio albums

Teddy Abrams has released several studio albums that highlight his multifaceted role as composer, conductor, and performer, often blending classical traditions with contemporary influences. These recordings, primarily featuring the Louisville Orchestra under his direction or his own instrumental contributions, showcase American themes, collaborative song cycles, and personal explorations in piano music. All In (Decca Gold, 2017) marks Abrams' debut as a recording artist with the Louisville Orchestra, serving as the ensemble's first album in nearly three decades. The album features Abrams' orchestral compositions, including the three-movement Unified Field, alongside a song cycle titled The Long Goodbye performed by vocalist Storm Large with orchestra, drawing on themes of resilience and human connection. Abrams also contributes as clarinetist on works by Cole Porter and George Gershwin, emphasizing a genre-melding celebration of American music. Critically, it topped Billboard's Traditional Classical Albums chart upon release, praised for its youthful energy and disregard for classical conventions. The Order of Nature (Decca Gold, 2019) is a collaborative song cycle co-created by Abrams with vocalist Jim James of My Morning Jacket, recorded live with the Louisville Orchestra during the 2018 Festival of American Music. The nine-track album explores environmental and humanistic themes through original songs and arrangements of classics like Leonard Bernstein's So Pretty, blending folk-rock vocals with orchestral textures to evoke a message of peace and natural harmony. It received acclaim for its hypnotic fusion of classical and folk elements, with Pitchfork noting its innovative bridging of musical worlds. The American Project (Deutsche Grammophon, 2023) centers on Abrams' virtuosic Piano Concerto, composed specifically for pianist , who performs it with the Louisville Orchestra under Abrams' baton. The album opens with Abrams' short encore You Come Here Often? and includes ' Street Song, all unified by American musical motifs ranging from swing to introspection. Wang's dazzling interpretation earned the recording the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo, with reviewers highlighting its emotional depth and technical brilliance. Preludes (New Amsterdam Records, 2025), Abrams' first solo piano album, comprises 16 short, contemplative pieces recorded with production by and Casey Foubert. Drawing on jazz improvisation and classical forms, the electro-acoustic tracks—such as Microcosm and Nearby Parallel Universes—create playful, personal soundscapes encouraging experimentation on any keyboard. Released on July 25, 2025, it has been lauded for its neoclassical world-building and intimate mood variations.

Collaborative recordings

Abrams co-founded the Sixth Floor Trio in 2008 with fellow Curtis Institute alumni Harrison Hollingsworth and Johnny Teyssier, forming a chamber ensemble dedicated to bridging classical, , , bluegrass, and rock traditions through improvisation and original compositions. The group released a self-titled in 2013 on an independent label, featuring 15 tracks that blend genres, including arrangements of Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story selections ("Cool," "Tonight," "Mambo"), klezmer-inspired pieces like "Fidl Wolachs," and originals such as "Cazadero" and "Belize." Active through 2015, the trio's recordings emphasized dialogue between musical communities, with Abrams contributing as clarinetist, pianist, and composer. In guest conducting roles, Abrams led the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in live performances recorded for the ensemble's On Stage archival series, released in October 2018. The program, captured during concerts on January 20 and 21, 2018, included Leonard Bernstein's Divertimento for , Julia Perry's A Short Piece for , and Aaron Copland's No. 3, with Susanna Phillips as soloist; Abrams' direction highlighted American orchestral vitality in these compilation tracks. Abrams featured in multi-artist projects through the Louisville Orchestra, including excerpts from his The Greatest: on the orchestra's label in 2019. The rap-opera, premiered in 2017, drew on Ali's life with , rap, and orchestral elements; the 2019 release spotlighted the , recorded collaboratively with Abrams on piano and My Morning Jacket's on guitar, evoking the boxer's legacy in a seven-minute orchestral work. Abrams contributed orchestral parts to Yo-Yo Ma's Our Common Nature project, with the 2023 Mammoth premiere recorded for a 2025 podcast episode. Performed inside Kentucky's by the Louisville Orchestra, Louisville Chamber Choir, Ma on , and Davóne Tines, the immersive piece explores geological and human themes through Abrams' composition, blending symphony with site-specific acoustics.

References

  1. https://www.aspeninstitute.org/news/teddy-abrams-2025/
  2. https://www.teddyabrams.com/bio-miller
  3. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/arts/2025/08/25/teddy-abrams-will-stay-with-louisville-orchestra-for-an-additional-3-years/85814556007/
  4. https://www.curtis.edu/person/teddy-abrams-2/
  5. https://www.sfcv.org/articles/music-news/ojai-music-festival-appoints-conductorcomposer-teddy-abrams-artistic-and
  6. https://www.bso.org/profiles/teddy-abrams
  7. https://www.ojaifestival.org/teddy-abrams-bio/
  8. https://www.ojaifestival.org/teddy-abrams-named-artistic-and-executive-director/
  9. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/teddy-abrams-mn0002582971
  10. https://jewishlouisville.org/teddy-abrams-meet-lions-judah/
  11. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/25/arts/music/teddy-abrams-louisville-orchestra.html
  12. https://musiciansjournal.com/origins-teddy-abrams/
  13. https://www.sfcv.org/articles/artist-spotlight/teddy-abrams-extends-his-roots-and-branches
  14. https://www.21cmediagroup.com/teddy-abrams-celebrates-tenth-anniversary-season-with-louisville-orchestra-in-2023-24-returns-to-guest-conduct-utah-symphony-and-debuts-in-helsinki-and-buffalo-premieres-ali-musical-next-fal/
  15. https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/story/338459
  16. https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Don-t-call-Teddy-Abrams-a-prodigy-never-mind-2737454.php
  17. https://www.paloaltoonline.com/uncategorized/2006/03/10/youthful-maestro/
  18. https://www.sdjewishworld.com/2025/02/23/louisville-conductor-teddy-abrams-subs-for-michael-tilson-thomas-in-san-diego/
  19. https://www.musicalamerica.com/features/?fid=357&fyear=2022
  20. https://www.svmusicfestival.org/people/teddy-abrams/
  21. https://www.nws.edu/news/2021/teddy-abrams-named-musical-america-s-2022-conductor-of-the-year/
  22. https://www.sfcv.org/articles/feature/teddy-abrams-rising-star-conductor
  23. https://oslmusic.org/bios/teddy-abrams/
  24. https://www.kennedy-center.org/artists/s/sa-sn/-sixth-floor-trio/
  25. https://www.sfsymphony.org/Data/Event-Data/Artists/A/Teddy-Abrams
  26. https://www.curtis.edu/person/teddy-abrams/
  27. https://www.emersoncollective.com/persons/teddy-abrams-dd2024
  28. https://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/news/detail/teddy-abrams-extends-contract-with-lo
  29. https://www.teddyabrams.com/
  30. https://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/about/history/
  31. https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2015/10/18/448996742/in-louisville-a-young-conductor-seeks-to-challenge-and-delight
  32. https://cso.org/experience/article/14626/conductor-teddy-abrams-rekindles-a-tradition
  33. https://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/creators-corps/
  34. https://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/support/endowment
  35. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/no-place-home-brings-jack-044842324.html
  36. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/jim-james-teddy-abrams-the-order-of-nature/
  37. https://www.owsleybrownpresents.com/mmac-now
  38. https://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/community/in-harmony-tour
  39. https://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/
  40. https://jacksonvillereview.com/teddy-abrams-to-step-down-as-music-director-of-the-britt-festival-orchestra/
  41. https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/artists/187/teddy-abrams
  42. https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2017/07/19/classical-10-best-symphony-concerts-of-season/
  43. https://www.teddyabrams.com/updates/2025/03/19/teddy-abrams-bso-debut
  44. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/05/15/yo-yo-ma-music-review-mammoth-cave
  45. https://nac-cna.ca/en/bio/teddy-abrams
  46. https://www.colinscolumn.com/teddy-abrams-in-2025-26-debuts-with-bbc-so-atlanta-nashville-ottawa-six-programmes-in-louisville-more/
  47. https://www.opus3artists.com/teddy-abrams-named-musical-america-conductor-of-the-year/
  48. https://www.teddyabrams.com/store/unified-field
  49. https://www.teddyabrams.com/works
  50. https://thelistenersclub.com/2017/11/29/new-release-teddy-abrams-and-the-louisville-orchestras-all-in/
  51. https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/artists/yujawang/news/american-beauty-yuja-wangs-artistry-shines-in-world-premiere-recording-of-teddy-abrams-piano-concerto-268642
  52. https://www.intermusica.com/news/4971
  53. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/10/arts/music/float-rumble-rest-a-hometown-tribute-to-ali.html
  54. https://www.lpm.org/news/2016-06-10/teddy-abrams-jim-james-collaborate-for-ali-tribute
  55. https://www.newamrecords.org/albums/preludes
  56. https://www.teddyabrams.com/updates/2025/6/2/abrams-announces-preludes-album-on-new-amsterdam-records
  57. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne-XQT_NXuY
  58. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/nov/02/the-greatest-muhammad-ali-opera-oratorio-louisville-orchestra-teddy-abrams
  59. https://www.broadwayworld.com/louisville/article/BWW-Review-THE-GREATEST-MUHAMMAD-ALI-at-The-Louisville-Orchestra-20171114
  60. https://www.teddyabrams.com/store/mammoth
  61. https://www.classicfm.com/artists/yo-yo-ma/louisville-orchestra-cello-mammoth-cave/
  62. https://www.amazon.com/All-Teddy-Abrams/dp/B074CKL7NB
  63. https://pacificsymphony.blog/2017/10/09/review-louisville-orchestra-teddy-abrams-all-in/
  64. https://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/about/conductors
  65. https://playbill.com/article/muhammad-ali-biomusical-indefinitely-postpones-2025-chicago-world-premiere
  66. https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/the-american-project-yuja-wang-12891
  67. https://www.teddyabrams.com/updates/2024/2/9/grammy-win-for-the-american-project
  68. https://theclassicreview.com/album-reviews/review-the-american-project-yuja-wang-piano/
  69. https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2015/08/25/louisville-orchestra-music-director-to-be-featured.html
  70. https://www.teddyabrams.com/updates/2021/5/9/building-a-bridge-a-film-featuring-teddys-music-premiering-at-tribeca-film-festival
  71. https://tribecafilm.com/films/building-a-bridge-2021
  72. https://www.documentary.org/online-feature/green-days-dc-environmental-film-festival-turns-20
  73. https://www.pbs.org/video/a-decade-of-music-with-teddy-abrams-MuwOAA/
  74. https://www.pbs.org/video/in-harmony-1698444229/
  75. https://www.pbs.org/video/in-harmony-tour-e6zjeg/
  76. https://www.pbs.org/video/louisville-orchestras-creators-corps-with-teddy-abrams-il0uqd/
  77. https://21cmediagroup.com/louisville-orchestra-announces-2025-in-harmony-kentucky-commonwealth-tour/
  78. https://www.aso.org/about-the-aso/get-social/aso-blog-2/the-asos-202526-season-preview
  79. https://www.nashvillesymphony.org/tickets/concert/2025-2026-season/time-for-three-abrams-conducts-bates/
  80. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLlgNixrWSQ
  81. https://www.lpm.org/classical/2023-04-27/the-louisville-orchestra-yo-yo-ma-live-broadcast
  82. https://www.pbs.org/video/placeholder-Jugjv2/
  83. https://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/mammoth-cave-presents-teddy-abrams-louisville-orchestra-with-yo-yo-ma.htm
  84. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQCoKg9ACQG/
  85. https://www.grammy.com/artists/teddy-abrams/53844
  86. https://www.teddyabrams.com/updates/2021/10/22/musical-america-names-teddy-conductor-of-the-year
  87. https://jewishlouisville.org/jcl-award-recipients-will-be-honored-during-the-2025-annual-meeting-on-june-23/
  88. https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/artsprogram/artist-in-residence-program/
  89. https://www.teddyabrams.com/updates/2025/9/9/abrams-named-artistic-and-executive-director-of-the-ojai-music-festival
  90. https://shop.deccarecordsus.com/products/louisville-orchestra-teddy-abrams-all-in-cd
  91. https://shop.deccarecordsus.com/products/jim-james-teddy-abrams-louisville-orchestra-the-order-of-nature-cd
  92. https://www.opus3artists.com/teddy-abrams-the-order-of-nature-with-jim-james/
  93. https://teddyabrams.bandcamp.com/album/preludes
  94. https://www.popmatters.com/teddy-abrams-preludes
  95. https://open.spotify.com/album/7M08oQ6fWcrE2E3nxhbUem
  96. https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Sixth-Floor-Trio/dp/B00GVFNY3I
  97. https://www.ebay.com/itm/336072889897
  98. https://www.mso.org/about/music/listen/archives_2021/archives_2018/
  99. https://www.mso.org/about/music/mso-musical-journeys-12/
  100. https://www.teddyabrams.com/store/the-greatest-full-score
  101. https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/our-common-nature/articles/kentucky-yoyo-ma-and-the-louisville-orchestra-perform-in-mammoth-cave
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