Biography
William Intriligator currently serves as Music Director and Conductor of the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra in Wyoming and the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra in Iowa. His innovative programming, artistic leadership, communication skills, and community collaborations have lead to tremendous growth and success for both orchestras.
As a guest conductor, Intriligator has led performances with many distinguished orchestras across the country, including those of Honolulu, Houston, Minnesota, Richmond, Saint Paul, Savannah, Syracuse, and Tulsa. In 2017, he made his European conducting debut in Italy with the Bari Symphony Orchestra. After the huge success of that concert, the orchestra immediately invited him to return to Bari and conduct two more concerts.
Intriligator’s 2020-2021 concert season includes a focused exploration of musical works by Black composers in support of racial justice and diversity, for which he is a strong advocate. Other season highlights include numerous regional premieres, performances of works by female composers, collaborations with outstanding guest artists, and "conducting from the oboe" while giving an oboe concerto performance with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra.
Recent projects with the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra include staged ballet productions, the introduction of family matinee programs, a Latin-American/Hispanic program which reached new audiences from the local Latinx community, performances of works by local composers, and an innovative program entitled “Star-Crossed Lovers” which combined concert, opera, ballet, and theater in a staged retelling of Romeo and Juliet. He was also featured as oboist in the Marcello Oboe Concerto, Mozart Oboe Quartet, and Beethoven Trio.
During his tenure with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra Intriligator has presented many special programs including five staged operas, three staged ballet productions, and a staged production of West Side Story. Other special DSO projects have included composer festivals, “Voices” concerts in the Millwork District, concerts with local rock and country musicians, concerts with world-renowned violinist Midori as part of the Midori Residency Program, and accompanying musical prodigy Ethan Bortnick in a concert that became a popular PBS television special, “The Power of Music.” Recently he has curated and conducted themed concert seasons such as Music & The Arts, The Four Elements, Music & Dance, and Youth.
Intriligator feels very strongly that one of the roles of a regional orchestra is to promote local composers and performers, and with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra he has commissioned and performed over twenty new works by composers from those regions, as well as featured local and native performers as soloists.
Originally from Santa Monica, California, Intriligator earned many accolades as an oboist before turning to conducting. He graduated with highest honors in music from Princeton University. He then studied conducting in France with Charles Bruck and in Germany with Michael Gielen. He returned to the U.S. to earn his masters and doctoral degrees in orchestral conducting at the University of Minnesota. He was a conducting fellow at the Aspen Music Festival for two summers and attended the Pierre Monteux School four summers.
Intriligator previously served as Apprentice Conductor and Staff Conductor at the Minnesota Orchestra, Assistant Conductor of the Minnesota Opera, and Assistant Conductor of the Southwest German Radio Orchestra. As a regular guest conductor of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, he conducted the orchestra for five seasons in educational concerts, family concerts, regional tours, and concerts of new music.
In 2013, Intriligator won the Dubuque County Fine Arts Society's Elisha Darlin Award in recognition of his impact on the cultural landscape of Dubuque. In 2014, Intriligator and the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra received the Dubuque365 Impact Award in Music, recognizing the many ways the orchestra reaches out to the community.