Rotem Weinberg

Contributing Editor |

Israeli conductor Rotem Weinberg is known for his profound musicality, creative programming, and polished performances. He is a cross-genre musician, at home in classical, operatic, and pops repertoires alike. In the fall of 2022 he will assume the position of Director of Orchestras at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he will conduct orchestras, opera, and teach conducting.

Rotem began his conducting studies at the age of seventeen, under the guidance of Vag Papian. Before starting his academic studies, he served in the Israel Defense Forces military band as head librarian and assistant conductor. He earned a BM in orchestral conducting from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music of Tel-Aviv University, where he studied with Prof. Yoav Talmi, Yi-an Xu, and Ronen Borshevsky. His graduate studies took him to The University of Michigan, where he earned both MM and DMA degrees in orchestral conducting, studying with the renowned conductor and pedagogue Kenneth Kiesler.

At the University of Michigan, Rotem served as Music Director of the Campus Symphony Orchestra and the Michigan Pops Orchestra, bringing these ensembles to new musical heights. He also filled the role of assistant conductor to the prestigious orchestra program, supporting the work of four student orchestras. As cover conductor of the University of Michigan Opera Theater, he conducted operas such as Puccini’s La bohème, Handel’s Alcina, and William Bolcom’s Dinner at Eight. In February 2018 he served as the first assistant conductor for the ground-breaking test performance of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess’ new critical edition. Following his studies, Rotem served as Music Director of Spectrum Orchestra in Birmingham, Michigan, Associate Conductor of the Michigan Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Cover Conductor for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

He is composer of the score for the film "What Color is Love?" and the score for the play "In Dahomey". The moving tribute to the victims of September 11, "In Memorium" was premiered by the Detroit Symphony. Maestro Williams has served as conductor-composer of the Connecticut Arts Award for Public Television. His film score for Lifetime TV's "Fighting for our Future" won the Gracie Allen Documentary Award in 2003. Julius Williams' discography includes the critically-acclaimed "Symphonic Brotherhood", "Shades of Blue" and "The New American Romanticism", all available from Albany Records. Julius Williams has served in the capacity of Artistic Director for The Washington Symphony Orchestra, The Music Festival of Costa del Sol, Spain, and the School of Choral Studies of New York State Summer School of the Arts.

An advocate of contemporary music, Rotem has collaborated and premiered work by composers Nina Shekhar, Natalie Moller, Tyler Arnold, Sawyer Denton, and Samuel Sussman.