David Lockington (born October 11, 1956), is the music director laureate of the Grand Rapids Symphony located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. Lockington became the 13th music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony in January 1999 and stepped down from the post in May 2015 at the end of his 16th season with the orchestra. Prior to his tenure in Grand Rapids, Lockington served as the music director for the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra (1996–2000) and the Long Island Philharmonic (1995–2000). In May 2007, Lockington was named music director of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra in Modesto, California. From March 2013 to August 2021, Lockington was the music director of the Pasadena Symphony in Pasadena, California.
Biography
Early life Lockington was born as David Kirkman Lockington on October 11, 1956, in Dartford, Kent, UK.Roderick L. Sharpe, Jeanne Koekkoek Stierman, Maestros in America: Conductors in the 21st Century (Scarecrow Press, 2008), 154-156. His father was a podiatrist and an amateur cellist. Lockington followed his father's interest in the cello and started taking cello lessons when he "was just about 10."Interview with David Lockington. Retrieved March 26, 2017. He completed his education in Great Britain at the University of Cambridge, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree as a choral scholar.David Lockington: Biography Retrieved April 3, 2017
Career in Great Britain As a boy, Lockington sang in the English National Opera in productions such as the Magic Flute. David was principal cellist of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.Interview with David Lockington. Retrieved March 26, 2017. At sixteen, he began his career as a cellist and was the Principal Cellist with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain for the last two years in that work.David Lockington: Biography Retrieved April 3, 2017. and Grand Rapids Magazine "Music director settles down." Retrieved April 1, 2017.
Immigration and Career in the United States In 1978, Lockington moved to the United States from Great Britain. He became a citizen.Pasadena Symphony names Lockington. Retrieved March 30, 2017. He came on a scholarship to Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, US, where he studied cello performance and conducting. In cello performance, Lockington received a master's degree. In conducting, he studied with Otto-Werner Mueller. After graduating, Lockington served as a cellist with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra and served as assistant principal cellist with the Denver Symphony Orchestra for three years before he turned to conducting.David Lockington: Biography Retrieved April 3, 2017
Lockington married violinist Dylana Jenson. They have four children.Interview with David Lockington. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
Grand Rapids Symphony: 1999-2015 From January 1999 to May 2015, Lockington served as the music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony, Grand Rapids, Michigan.David Lockington: Biography Retrieved April 3, 2017 In his fourteen seasons as Music Director, he "created a lasting legacy of artistic achievements and genuine community enrichment." The New York Times commended the Grand Rapids Symphony, under Lockington's artistic leadership for "being a model in the Classical music world."Pasadena Symphony names Lockington. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
In May 2005, Lockington Guest Conducted the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall.OPENING NIGHT. Retrieved April 1, 2017. and DAVID LOCKINGTON. Retrieved March 26, 2017. He considers the Grand Rapids Symphony’s seventy-fifth anniversary trip (founded in 1930) to Carnegie Hall "his greatest achievement."
In 2008, Lockington initiated the successful Grand Rapids Symphony Youth Choruses. Also, at his initiative, the Symphony reached out to new and diverse audiences through its annual community concert “Symphony with Soul.”Pasadena Symphony names Lockington. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
From May 2007 to March 2013, in addition to his work with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Lockington held the position of Music Director with the Modesto Symphony.David Lockington. Retrieved March 31, 2017. and David Lockington: Music Director. Retrieved March 26, 2017. He traveled from Grand Rapids to California monthly "to tend to his responsibilities there."
In the 2015-2016 season, Lockington was named one of three Artistic Partners with the Northwest Sinfonietta in Tacoma, Washington.
During Lockington's tenure with the Grand Rapids Symphony, pop music was incorporated into the classical repertoire. It also began collaborating with the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. The Symphony also gained national attention for its Grammy nomination in 2007 for “Invention and Alchemy,” a DVD and CD collaboration with harpist Deborah Henson-Conant.
Lockington and the orchestra’s musicians encouraged a relationship with the community by "a variety of community outreach and educational programs." The educational programs included "a side-by-side concert series that allows high school students to perform with symphony members at their school." It also included "an Artists in Residence partnership that allows symphony members to work with elementary school kids from kindergarten through the sixth grade."
During Lockington's tenure with the Grand Rapids Symphony, either he or his associate conductor John Varineau conducted the Richard and Helen DeVos Classical Series, Casual Classics Series, Edward Jones Coffee Classics, Fox Motors Pops Series, Chase Picnic Pops, and DTE Energy Foundation Family Series concerts, in addition to special events, educational and festival concerts with the Grand Rapids Symphony.DAVID LOCKINGTON. Retrieved March 26, 2017. and Symphony music for all tastes and all ages.
Also, under Lockington's direction, the Grand Rapids Symphony reached out to the African-American community by creating a "kind of a gospel chorus." The chorus was "a mixed chorus of community people that want to come together and celebrate performing with the orchestra.” The Grand Rapids Community Gospel Chorus grew to more than one hundred voices. It performed at the annual concert “Symphony With Soul” established by Lockington in 2002 "to help connect cultures through music."
During his tenure with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Lockington took the added position of Music Director of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra in California. He traveled to California about once a month "to tend to his responsibilities there." He also Guest Conducted for "a variety of organizations around the country."
January 12, 2012 Interview On January 12, 2012, Lockington was in Pasadena, California to conduct the Pasadena Symphony. Laurie Niles, editor of Violentist.com, interviewed him.Niles' Lockington Interview. Retrieved 2017-03-27.
As she watched Lockington direct the youth orchestra, Laurie Niles, the reporter, described Lockington: "There it was again: His assurance on the podium, his obvious love for the music, his ease of communication, the English accent, and his way of using words like "penultimate" when he speaks with kids! As in, "Please sing the penultimate chord." (They looked around in puzzlement for a moment but then figured it out!). He doesn't talk down to kids."Interview with David Lockington. Retrieved March 26, 2017. When one of the kids asked Lockington what were his hobbies, Lockington told about "doing triathlons" and a "three-decade devotion to yoga." The latter stemmed from a back injury Lockington suffered in a bad car accident. "I wanted to make sure that I could continue to move well while I aged," he said.Interview with David Lockington. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
Lockington told Niles that "working with students and youth can be quite helpful in the development of a conductor." He added that "I personally think it's essential. There are a lot of conductors who, in their youth, get to conduct great orchestras through whatever program, or they become an assistant or an associate. But an orchestra at a high level will play itself. Learning how to pull something apart and to be very specific about what's needed, how to get it, and even to hear clearly, it's really instructive."Interview with David Lockington. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
Furthermore, he said that working with students and youth, "sets up the tone of how you want to lead." He said, "I like the idea of keeping everybody, not exactly guessing, but making sure that people are learning the skills of playing in orchestra: being able to go between the conductor and the page, being in the ensemble, being part of this morphing emotional entity, in time."Interview with David Lockington. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
Music Director of the Pasadena Symphony: 2013-2021 In 2012, Lockington guest conducted the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra in California. In 2013, he was appointed Music of the orchestra with an initial three-year contract. He began his tenure as Music Director immediately. His conducting work began with the 2013-14 Classics Series. He stepped down as music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony at the end of the 2014-15 season. In 2014-15, he began to conduct the Pasadena orchestra regularly.David Lockington: Biography Retrieved April 3, 2017. and Pasadena Symphony names Lockington. Retrieved March 30, 2017. and Pasadena Symphony appoints Lockington. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
When Lockington was named Music Director, Diane Rankin, President of the Pasadena Symphony Association, spoke of Lockington's “musicianship, technique, knowledge, leadership, and inspiration," which made him a "remarkable artist."Pasadena Symphony names Lockington. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
On February 19, 2017, a concert of Music for the Cello composed by the Pasadena Symphony Music Director Lockington was given in the Boston Court Performing Arts Center, Lockington was featured on the cello.David Lockington in Concert. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
After the initial three-year contract, the Pasadena Symphony extended Lockington's contract through 2018-2019 season.Pasadena Symphony extends Lockington contract. Retrieved March 31, 2017. In 2018, his contract was renewed again through the 2020-2021 season.
In August 2021, Lockington was "fired" from the Pasadena Symphony for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine. In May 2021, he was sent an email from the symphony's CEO stating that all Pasadena Symphony Association employees were required to take the vaccine. In June, Lockington sent an exemption request, citing religious and medical grounds. The symphony's attorney claimed the request was invalid, as Lockington was an independent contractor and not an employee. Lockingham sued the symphony for wrongful termination, religious discrimination, harassment, retaliation, failure to prevent discrimination and harassment, and various state Labor Code violations; seeking damages and reinstatment. In December 2023, the symphony's attorney announced that the case was settled. Terms of the settlement were not revealed. On January 16, 2024, Lockington filed a motion for dismissal with prejudice. He did not return to the Pasadena Symphony; they remained without a director until January 2025.
Musical career in the United States Lockington served as assistant principal cellist for three years with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in Denver, Colorado, US, before turning to conducting.David Lockington: Biography Retrieved April 3, 2017. and Pasadena Symphony names Lockington. Retrieved March 30, 2017. While in Denver, Lockington conducted the World Premiere of William Hill’s The Raven.World Premiere of William Hill’s The Raven. Retrieved March 31, 2017. Hill's The Raven Hill is "a large work for orchestra and chorus based on Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven. It was commissioned by the Color ado Symphony Orchestra for the premier performance in 2015.William Hill. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
Lockington’s career as a conductor and music director has taken him all over the country, "from coast to coast and everywhere in between."