News and Press
“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
Photo: Marco Borggreve
“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
“Levi Hammer is a multi-faceted musician with a zest and passion for music. He is an excellent colleague and working with him is a real pleasure. We expect a great future for Levi.”
Barrie Kosky
“Während seines Engagements am Hessischen Staatstheater Wiesbaden hat sich Levi Hammer den Respekt des Orchesters, der Sänger sowie der der anderen Kollegen der musikalischen Abteilung erarbeitet. Er ist ein erstklassiger Musiker, großartiger Kollege und es war eine große Freude mit ihm zu arbeiten. Besonderen Eindruck machte er mit seinem kürzlichen Dirigat von "Hänsel und Gretel" und seiner Arbeit als Liedbegleiter. Ich freue mich, auch in Zukunft mit Levi Hammer zu arbeiten.”
Uwe Eric Laufenberg
“During his tenure at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden Levi Hammer has earned the respect of our orchestra and singers as well as his fellow conductors. A musician of the highest quality, Levi is an excellent colleague and he is a pleasure to work with. I was especially impressed with his recent conducting of Hänsel und Gretel and his work as art song pianist. I look forward to our future collaborations.”
Uwe Eric Laufenberg
“Levi Hammer led a stirring performance from memory. The ASO musicians gave Hammer a fraternal solo bow when he was called back to stage.”
“This was inspired programming that realized the curatorial intentions of the artist as well in performance as it did on paper. Of course, this could only work if the artist has the ability, technically and musically, to pull it off. So how was Mr. Hammer’s performance? One word: Magnificent.”
“Though the baton is alluring, Hammer should keep a hand or two on the piano as his career advances. He’s good at it.”
Cleveland Classical
“Levi’s musicianship is very wide and very deep. He is a conductor with excellent hands and a real elegance on the podium. All of the elements of great musicianship are evident: impeccable rhythm, stylistic understanding, and a deep feeling for dramatic expression. A leader of the highest integrity, he is admired as much for who he is as for what he has accomplished. ”
Christopher Wilkins
“Hammer found steady ground between the two worlds. His earnest and precise direction balanced a romantic articulation of the structure with a modernist’s adherence to rhythm and color. Hammer’s nuanced rendering...electrified the room. Hammer conducted an interpretation that was both spacious and warm without neglecting the underlying cynicism of Mahler’s nostalgia. Hammer’s passionate interpretation neither rushed nor dawdled, but instead relished each variation.”
Boston Musical Intelligencer
“Levi Hammer is one of the most outstanding young musicians I have come across. He is extraordinarily intelligent with a vast range of musical knowledge and interest. There seems to be no subject that does not spark his imagination.”
Benjamin Zander