Collection: MAURICE PERESS: THE MUSICAL HERITAGE SOCIETY & JAZZ HERITAGE SOCIETY RECORDINGS
Mentored by Leonard Bernstein, Peress began his prominent career as an assistant conductor with the New York Philharmonic (1961-1962). He went on to hold significant conducting posts, including Music Director of the Corpus Christi Symphony (1962-1974), the Austin Symphony (1970-1972), and the Kansas City Philharmonic (1974-1980).
Peress is perhaps best known for his close association with Duke Ellington and his landmark 1973 reconstruction and subsequent championing of Ellington's ambitious symphonic jazz work, Black, Brown and Beige. He worked closely with Ellington himself in the period leading up to the premiere of the reconstructed score. This project exemplified Peress's dedication to legitimizing and performing complex works outside the traditional classical canon.
His scholarly approach also led him to reconstruct the original Paul Whiteman Orchestra jazz band version of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Furthermore, Peress was a noted Dvořák scholar, authoring the book Dvořák to Duke Ellington: A Conductor Explores America's Music and Its African American Roots, which investigated the influences on Dvořák during his time in America.
From 1984, Peress was a vital part of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, CUNY, where he served as Professor of Music and Director of Orchestral Studies, influencing generations of young musicians. His legacy rests on his skillful conducting, his groundbreaking work with Ellington and Gershwin scores, and his lifelong commitment to exploring and promoting the rich tapestry of American musical heritage.
