Lamp’s Artistic Director, Burt Wathen, was a founding member of Symphony Nova Scotia and as acting Music Director was responsible for bringing Maestro Georg Tintner to Halifax. He has taught and served on the boards of the National and Nova Scotia Youth Orchestras in Canada.
Burt served for ten years as Daniele Gatti’s Principal Viola in Bologna, and has served as Principal Viola for some of the world’s most revered conductors including: Riccardo Muti, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Roberto Abbado, Georges Pretre, Sir Neville Mariner, Georg Tintner, James Conlon, Charles Dutoit, Mstislav Rostropovic, Christian Thielemann, Vladimir Yurofsky, John Nelson, Gary Bertini, Michele Mariotti, and more.
As a viola soloist, Burt performed the Italian premier of Benjamin Britten’s Double Concerto for Violin, Viola and Orchestra (Willem Blockbergen violin, Teatro Comunale di Bologna).
In 1999 Burt was one of only two performers in Italy invited to participate in the Millennium Gala Concert in New York as a part of the Symphonicum World Orchestra, comprised only of principal players from orchestras around the world.
Burt Wathen
Artistic Director
As a chamber musician, Burt has performed with Raina Kabawanska, Walter Trampler, Chantal Juillet, William Tritt, Steve Dann, Andrew Dawes, Joel Quarrington, Phillip Djokic, Terrence Helmer, Rifka Golani, Vladimir Yurofsky, Shlomo Minz, the Gryphon Trio, Mark Fewer, and Walter Delahunt among others.
Burt has an extensive recording history which includes broadcasts by Radio Canada, CBC and RAI. He also served as a juror for international Viola competitions in Genova, Trieste, and Bologna, Italy.