RK

Biography

Rhonda Kess, a native of Los Angeles, received her Masters Degree from the University of Southern California and went on to study contemporary music at the Arnold Schoenberg Institute and later received an honorary degree, in conducting, from the Mozarteum, in Salzburg. 

Her teachers have included Herbert Blomstedt, Andre Previn and Leonard Bernstein. 

Rhonda Kess has championed British music in the United States and promoted American composers in the United Kingdom. 

With her Los Angeles ‘Contemporary Opera Company’ she has presented the American premieres of works by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, John Tavener, Anthony Payne and William Walton. 

In 1988, Rhonda made her New York debut, as part of the first New York International Festival of the Arts, with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra in the East Coast premiere of Birtwistle’s opera ‘Punch and Judy’. 

Subsequently she has returned to New York as both stage director and guest conductor working with St Luke’s Chamber Orchestra, the Music Today Ensemble, Cleveland Chamber Orchestra and the St Paul’s Chamber Orchestra. 

In 1989 Rhonda was appointed music director of ‘A Moveable Feast’ the contemporary music company of Trinity College of Music, in London.  The company has presented British premieres of works by Michael Torke, Kurt Schwertsik, William Albright and John Harbison.  She has also given new productions of ‘Miss Donnithorne’s Maggot’ by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and ‘Therese’ by John Tavener.   Rhonda has guest conducted in London’s Barbican Centre, which included her debut with the English Chamber Orchestra. 

1991 saw Rhonda make her debut at London's Royal Festival Hall conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in a Kurt Weill programme, including the European premiere of ‘Johnny Johnson’ in a concert version that she  arranged.  Later that year Rhonda became the first woman to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico City, with a programme of Prokofiev and contemporary Mexican composers.

Currently Rhonda is based in Los Angeles where she is writing songs and musicals with British screenwriter and lyricist Kendrew Lascelles.  Their works for stage and film include 'N’Orlins Nights' and 'Bernadette'.

All materials © R. Kess