Levi Hammer

Conductor, Pianist, Musical Thinker

About

 
 
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Known for his remarkable range and versatility, American conductor Levi Hammer appears regularly as symphonic and operatic conductor, concerto soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and art song collaborator. In his current season he performs across Europe and America, leading the Barrie Kosky production of Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera) at the Berliner Ensemble, and conducting orchestras including a debut with the Athens State Orchestra. Additionally he will work as assistant conductor for productions of Das Rheingold at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Wozzeck at the Aix-en-Provence Festival. He will also perform “Gershwin in Vienna,” a solo piano program exploring the relationship between George Gershwin and the composers of the Second Viennese School.

 
Full Biography

News

 
Photo: Marco Borggreve

Photo: Marco Borggreve

Equilibrium Artists

Levi joined Barbara Hannigan’s Equilibrium initiative, collaborating with Barbara and Equilibrium colleagues on projects in Paris, Munich and Stockholm. Read more

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Universal Edition

With the support of the Schoenberg family, Universal Edition has published Levi’s chamber orchestra arrangement of Arnold Schoenberg’s lusciously romantic, Pelleas und Melisande, Op. 5.

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DMA

Levi has completed the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in orchestral conducting at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.

 

“I met Levi Hammer when he served as assistant conductor for three operas at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has demonstrated his extensive experience with challenging repertoire, and I’ve relied on his expertise in Wagner and preparing large, complex productions. Levi is an outstanding conductor, a musician of depth and sophistication, and a pleasure to work with.”

Gustavo Dudamel

 

“Conductor/pianist Levi Hammer has proven a wonderful colleague. He has been an invaluable assistant conductor and generous colleague to me. An intelligent and articulate speaker, he is a thoughtful musician: generous, full of curiosity and boundless discipline for hard work and continued immersion into the scores. He is especially sensitive and helpful to singers, knows and loves the vocal repertoire (lieder and opera), while his orchestral background and knowledge is extensive and impressive.“

Barbara Hannigan

“I have known Levi Hammer as a very worthy young conductor. His natural conducting talent I watched develop and strengthen in the repertoire assigned to him. I feel certain he will enjoy and merit a fine career.”

Lorin Maazel

 
More News and Press

Upcoming

 
 

January 4 - February 21, 2025

Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro

Levi Hammer, musical assistance and pianist for recitativo

Finnegan Downie Dear, conductor

Jürgen Flimm, stage director

Staatskapelle Berlin

With Gyula Orendt, Evelin Novak, Maria Kokareva, Riccardo Fassi, Rebecka Wallroth, Katharina Kammerloher, Florian Hoffmann, Marcel Beekman, Patrick Zielke, Olaf Bär, Regina Koncz, et al.

Staatsoper Berlin

January 21, 22, 2025

Weill/Brecht: Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)

Levi Hammer, conductor

Barrie Kosky, stage director

With Nico Holonics, Gabriel Schneider, Cynthia Micas, Tilo Nest, Constanze Becker, Pauline Knof, Kathrin Wehlisch, Laura Balzer, Bettina Hoppe, Sonja Beißwenger, Amelie Willberg, et al.

Berliner Ensemble

March 9, 2025

Liederabend: Von ewiger Liebe

Okka von der Damerau, mezzo-soprano

Levi Hammer, piano

»Von ewiger Liebe«: Lieder von Johannes Brahms und Richard Wagner

Laeiszhalle, Kleiner Saal - Hamburg

 

April 6, 2025

Veronika Eberle and Friends

Levi Hammer, conductor (of Mayrhofer)

Gregor Mayrhofer: Lageder Oktett

Franz Schubert: Sonate A-Dur D 574 „Grand Duo“

Franz Schubert: Oktett F-Dur D 803

With Veronika Eberle, Benjamin Günst, Pauline Sachse, Valentino Worlitzsch, Enno Senft, Thorsten Johanns, Ben Goldscheider, María José Rielo Blanco, José Gallardo

Heidelberger Frühling (Heidelberg Spring)

April 28, 29, 30, May 22, 23, 2025

Weill/Brecht: Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)

Levi Hammer, conductor

Barrie Kosky, stage director

With Nico Holonics, Gabriel Schneider, Cynthia Micas, Tilo Nest, Constanze Becker, Pauline Knof, Kathrin Wehlisch, Laura Balzer, Bettina Hoppe, Sonja Beißwenger, Amelie Willberg, et al.

Berliner Ensemble

May 28, 29, 2025

Weill/Brecht: Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)

Levi Hammer, conductor

Barrie Kosky, stage director

With Nico Holonics, Gabriel Schneider, Cynthia Micas, Tilo Nest, Constanze Becker, Pauline Knof, Kathrin Wehlisch, Laura Balzer, Bettina Hoppe, Sonja Beißwenger, Amelie Willberg, et al.

On tour in Hamburg: Hamburger Theater Festival

Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg

Berliner Ensemble

 

June 25 - July 27, 2025

Jerry Bock: Fiddler on the Roof

Levi Hammer, conductor

Crystal Manich, stage director

With Max Hopp, Victoria Livengood, Rachel Kobernick, Rachel Blaustein, Jennifer Zetlan, Janice Meyerson, Simon Barrad, Sarah Folsom,

and the

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Cincinnati Opera

November 25, 26, 27, 2025

Weill/Brecht: Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)

Levi Hammer, conductor

Barrie Kosky, stage director

With Nico Holonics, Gabriel Schneider, Maeve Metelka, Tilo Nest, Constanze Becker, Pauline Knof, Kathrin Wehlisch, Laura Balzer, Bettina Hoppe, Sonja Beißwenger, Amelie Willberg, et al.

Berliner Ensemble

December 23, 25, 26, 2025

Weill/Brecht: Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)

Levi Hammer, conductor

Barrie Kosky, stage director

With Nico Holonics, Gabriel Schneider, Maeve Metelka, Tilo Nest, Constanze Becker, Pauline Knof, Kathrin Wehlisch, Laura Balzer, Bettina Hoppe, Sonja Beißwenger, Amelie Willberg, et al.

Berliner Ensemble

 

January 5 - February 14, 2026

Strauss: Salome

Levi Hammer, assistant/cover conductor

Tomáš Netopil, conductor

Sir David McVicar, stage director

With Elena Stikhina, Brandon Jovanovich, Nicholas Brownlee, Tanja Ariane Baumgartner, Ryan Capozzo

Lyric Opera of Chicago

Chicago (USA)

February 9, 2026

Gershwin in Vienna: Gershwin and the Second Viennese School

Gershwin: Three Preludes

Schoenberg: Drei Klavierstücke, Op. 11

Gershwin: George Gershwin’s Songbook - Part 1

Berg: Piano Sonata, Op. 1

Webern: Variations for Piano, Op. 27

Gershwin: George Gershwin’s Songbook - Part 2

Schoenberg: Sechs Kleine Klavierstücke, Op. 19

Gershwin: Jazzbo Brown Blues

Levi Hammer, piano

Austrian Embassy

Washington, DC (USA)

February 18, 2026

Gershwin in Vienna: Gershwin and the Second Viennese School

Gershwin: Three Preludes

Schoenberg: Drei Klavierstücke, Op. 11

Gershwin: George Gershwin’s Songbook - Part 1

Berg: Piano Sonata, Op. 1

Webern: Variations for Piano, Op. 27

Gershwin: George Gershwin’s Songbook - Part 2

Schoenberg: Sechs Kleine Klavierstücke, Op. 19

Gershwin: Jazzbo Brown Blues

Levi Hammer, piano

Austrian Cultural Forum NYC

New York City (USA)

 

February 25, 2026

Blutenburg Kammerphilharmonie München

Levi Hammer, pianist

TBA

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15

Munich (Germany)

March TBA 2026

Gershwin in Vienna: Gershwin and the Second Viennese School

Gershwin: Three Preludes

Schoenberg: Drei Klavierstücke, Op. 11

Gershwin: George Gershwin’s Songbook - Part 1

Berg: Piano Sonata, Op. 1

Webern: Variations for Piano, Op. 27

Gershwin: George Gershwin’s Songbook - Part 2

Schoenberg: Sechs Kleine Klavierstücke, Op. 19

Gershwin: Jazzbo Brown Blues

Levi Hammer, piano

TBA

Berlin (Germany)

May 4 - 24, 2026

Wagner: Die Walküre

Levi Hammer, assistant/cover conductor

Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

Alberto Arvelo, stage director

Frank Gehry, scenic designer

Cindy Figueroa, costume designer

Cori Ellison, dramaturg

Los Angeles Philharmonic

With Ryan Speedo Green, Christine Goerke, Jessica Faselt, Jamez McCorkle, Soloman Howard, Sarah Saturnino, Alexandria Shiner, Lindsay Ammann, Gabrielle Beteag, Zoie Reams, Taylor Raven, Siphokazi Molteno, Laura Wilde

Los Angeles Philharmonic

Los Angeles (USA)

 

June TBA, 2026

Weill/Brecht: Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)

Levi Hammer, conductor

Barrie Kosky, stage director

With Nico Holonics, Gabriel Schneider, Maeve Metelka, Tilo Nest, Constanze Becker, Pauline Knof, Kathrin Wehlisch, Laura Balzer, Bettina Hoppe, Sonja Beißwenger, Amelie Willberg, et al.

Berliner Ensemble

On tour in Taiwan TBA

 
Full Schedule

Media

 
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This summer I’m conducting “Fiddler on the Roof” at Cincinnati Opera. It’s the first new production of this masterpiece of musical theater by an American opera company. And after years in Europe, it feels like a homecoming -
While conducting “Threepenny” in Hamburg last week I visited the three churches associated with Bach’s sojourns in the city. In the crypt of the @st_michaelis is the grave of Johann Sebastian’s son, the great Carl Philipp Eman
My European season wraps up with a series of Threepenny Opera (#Dreigroschenoper) performances at the place of the its birth, the @blnensemble, and on tour at the @schauspielhaushamburg as part of the @hamburgertheaterfestival. This Barrie Kosky prod
Some memories with my friend @okkavdd. As one of the great Wagnerians of our time, it was a joy to play the Wesendonck-Lieder with her. But most of the program was Brahms - songs he composed for or performed with a remarkable woman, Hermine Spies,
This weekend the stars aligned and I joined “Veronika Eberle and Friends” to conduct @gregor.a.mayrhofer‘s “Lageder Oktett” at the @thefruehling. A deeply expressive work, it reminds me of Mahler in his Alpine mood, and
I first met @okkavdd while working on “Tristan und Isolde” at the @laphil. Song used to be a significant part of my life, so it’s a great pleasure to return to the art form with Okka. Our Brahms selections center around a historical
I returned to the Staatsoper Unter den Linden to work on Mozart’s “The Mariage of Figaro” with a fabulous cast in Jürgen Flimm’s classic production. And to accompany the recitativi and assist my esteemed friend and colle
A few memories of last month in Los Angeles working on Schoenberg’s “Gurrelieder” with Zubin Mehta and the @laphil. I saw a lot of the Schoenberg family, even visiting the home of Arnold Schoenberg himself, where his son Ronald and
With @janefonda, @rufuswainwright and Zubin Mehta at Walt Disney Concert Hall for a @laphil rehearsal of “Gurrelieder” with the @lamasterchorale. Jane and Zubin are friends of 60+ years and she’s electrically stunning. And Rufus is
My first week this month with the @laphil was to assist and cover @zubin.mehta.official in an all Brahms program. I had conducted the Second Symphony, but coming back to it with a few more years experience allowed me to understand Brahms in a way I
I’d long wanted to play the piano part in “Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme” (“Der Bürger als Edelmann“ in German) of Richard Strauss. It’s a piece cherished by conductors and has one of the two hardest piano parts in
It’s rare that I get to dig into chamber music these days, but it felt like a homecoming to play Mozart, Schumann and Brahms with dear colleagues at the @staatstheater.wiesbaden. 📷 @ligumk
It was a joy to join the Concertgebouw Orchestra in this all-Schoenberg program and to assist conductor Ryan Wigglesworth, a masterful musician devoted to our craft. Schoenberg’s “Pelleas” is close to my heart, and “Erwartung&
What a pleasure to conduct @lorchestredechambredegeneve for my dear colleague @pierrebleuse. I assisted Pierre with the @ensemble.intercontemporain over the summer at the @festivalaix, and I deeply admire his virtuosity and boundless joy in music-mak

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Contact

 

Management team:

Artistic Advisor: Craig Urquhart

The Craig Urquhart Office

e-mail: thecraigurquhartoffice@gmail.com

phone: +49 177 197 1669

 

Please use this form to contact Levi directly.