Jean-Marie Zeitouni has emerged as one of Canada’s brightest conductors, with an eloquent yet fiery style in repertoire ranging from baroque to contemporary music. Since 2004, he has been the associate conductor of Les Violons du Roy, and music director of their Young Artist Opera Program at the Banff Centre. His CD with the ensemble, entitled “Piazzola,” won a JUNO Award for Classical Album Of The Year in the Solo or Chamber Ensemble category in 2007.

Prior to Les Violons du Roy, he was assistant conductor and chorus master at Opéra de Montréal and music director of the company’s Atelier lyrique program, choir director of the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, chorus master at Opéra de Québec, and director of the orchestra and opera workshop at Laval University.

In 2008-2009, in addition to leading opera productions of Lucia de Lammermoor by Donizetti (Cincinnati Opera), Faust by Gounod (Calgary Opera), and Il re pastore by Mozart (Opera Theatre of St. Louis), he will debut with the Houston Symphony, Vancouver Symphony and the San Antonio, Oregon, and Omaha symphonies, as well as appearing with the Handel & Haydn Society, and at the Round Top, Grant Park, and the Festival de Lanaudière.

Highlights in recent seasons include appearances with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and the Edmonton, Honolulu, and Monterey symphonies, as well as opera engagements with Calgary Opera, Opéra de Québec, Glimmerglass Opera, Cincinnati Opera, and Opéra de Montreal.

Mr. Zeitouni conducts “Music at Fever Pitch” on April 3 at Old South Church and on April 5 at Jordan Hall. These performances mark his Handel and Haydn Society debut.