Musical Louisiana: America’s Cultural Heritage

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is dedicated to maintaining live orchestral music and a full-scale symphonic orchestra as an integral part of the cultural and educational life of the New Orleans area, the entire state of Louisiana, and the Gulf South region. Formed in 1991, the LPO is the oldest full-time musician-governed and collaboratively-operated orchestra in the United States.

The LPO offers a full 36-week season with more than 120 performances, including classics, light classics, pops, education, family, park, and community engagement concerts in New Orleans and across multi-parish areas. In addition, The LPO collaborates with and provides orchestral support for other cultural and performing arts organizations, including the New Orleans Opera Association, New Orleans Vocal Arts Chorale, New Orleans Ballet Association, Delta Festival Ballet, Musical Arts Society of New Orleans, and the Historic New Orleans Collection.

Recognized for his “musical sensitivity” and “energized sense of interpretation”, Matthew Kraemer is quickly making his mark among American conductors for his inspired performances and versatility. The Buffalo News notes, “He presents a tall, dignified and stately podium presence with a quite clear beat, a good sense of shaping melodic lines, and an all-business attitude that focused on the music without any histrionics.” Mr. Kraemer begins his second season as the Adelaide Wisdom Benjamin Music Director of the Louisiana Philharmonic in September 2024. Formed in 1991, LPO is the oldest full-time musician-governed orchestra in the United States. Appointed Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra in 2015, he has additionally extended his commitment with ICO through 2027. His active guest conducting schedule includes appearances with many of the nation’s finest orchestras, including the Arkansas, Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Columbus, Houston, Elgin, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Nashville, North Carolina, Saint Louis, Spokane, Syracuse, Toledo, and Virginia symphony orchestras, the Buffalo and Rochester Philharmonics, as well as Canada’s Mississauga Symphony, Niagara Symphony, and Hamilton Philharmonic. Highlights of the 2024-25 season include performances with Terence Blanchard, Joshua Roman, Ashley Dixon, Sirena Huang, Gabriela Martinez, and Michael Feinstein. He additionally leads the ICO in collaborations with the American Pianists Association, the International Double Reed Society, and the USA International Harp Competition.

Kraemer served as associate conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic from 2009 to 2014, where he regularly led the orchestra in each of its concert series.  A passionate advocate for new music, he has performed the works of many living composers during his career, including premieres by Stacy Garrop, Arlene Sierra, Maxim Samarov, Victoria Bond, Miguel del Aguila, and Reinaldo Moya. He has additionally led the American Composers Orchestra’s EarShot readings with several orchestras.  The ICO was awarded a Virginia B. Toulmin commission for emerging women composers, a Regional Emmy, and an ARTI Award from the Indianapolis Arts Council under his leadership.  Kraemer has also served as Music Director of the Butler County Symphony and Erie Chamber Orchestra, Artistic Director of Orchestra Indiana, and associate conductor of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. 

Increasingly recognized for his committed advocacy of music education and his devotion to young audiences, he served on the faculty at New England Music Camp from 2016-2022.  The Buffalo Philharmonic’s award-winning education concerts grew exponentially under his leadership, expanding to reach over 40,000 students throughout western New York.  He played an integral role in the creation of the orchestra’s successful live broadcast concerts with Time Warner Cable, as well as implementing new collaborations with many organizations in the Buffalo community.  His performances are broadcast regularly on NPR’s Performance Today.

Recipient of the distinguished Herbert von Karajan Conducting Fellowship and the Bruno Walter Career Development Grant, Kraemer served a residency with the Vienna Philharmonic at the 2006 Salzburg Music Festival.  Equally at home in the opera and ballet pit, his operatic credits include productions of The Magic Flute, The Barber of Seville, Fidelio, Madame Butterfly, La Traviata, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Happy Birthday Wanda June (world premiere), Trouble in Tahiti, and Jonathan Dove’s Mansfield Park (American professional premiere), as well as ballet productions with Virginia Ballet Theatre, Ohio Ballet, Dance Kaleidoscope, Neglia Ballet Artists, and Todd Rosenlieb Dance.  He has performed with many leading artists, including Lang Lang, Beatrice Rana, Awadagin Pratt, Christopher O’Riley, Norman Krieger, Philippe Quint, Jennifer Koh, Elmar Oliveira, Rachel Barton Pine, David Kim, Gary Karr, Richard Stolzman, Wu Man, Bela Fleck, Mark O’Connor, Ben Folds, Chris Botti, Michael Cavanaugh, Jim Brickman, the Indigo Girls, Il Volo, Wynona Judd, and Natalie Merchant, among others.  A frequent collaborator with Broadway superstar Idina Menzel, he served as conductor for many of her symphony engagements nationwide. 

An Indiana native, Kraemer studied conducting in Vienna, Austria with Salvador Mas Conde and was twice a fellowship conductor at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen.  His conducting teachers include David Zinman, Robert Spano, Stanley DeRusha, and Jorma Panula.  Kraemer is a graduate of Butler University and the University of Nevada, where he assisted former Cincinnati Symphony concertmaster Phillip Ruder. An accomplished violinist, he was a member of the Nightingale String Quartet.  When he is not performing, Kraemer enjoys cooking, running, and reading.   He and his wife, Megan, reside in New Orleans with their sons Gabriel and Nathaniel.

Co-presented with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
February 15, 2017
St. Louis Cathedral

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Co-presented with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
January 27, 2016
St. Louis Cathedral

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Co-presented with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
February 4, 2015
St. Louis Cathedral

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Co-presented with the Louisiana Phliharmonic Orchestra
February 19, 2014
St. Louis Cathedral

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Co-presented with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
January 13, 2013
St. Louis Cathedral

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Co-presented with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
January 25, 2012
St. Louis Cathedral

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Co-presented with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
February 10, 2011
St. Louis Cathedral

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Co-presented with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
February 3, 2010
St. Louis Cathedral

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Co-presented with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
February 11, 2009
St. Louis Cathedral

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Co-presented with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
February 13, 2008
St. Louis Cathedral

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Co-presented with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
February 7, 2007
St. Louis Cathedral

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