Artist's Bio: Dingall Fleary

Dingwall Fleary (Conductor- Marriage of Figaro) is the founding conductor of this community's first instrumental ensemble, the McLean Chamber orchestra (1971), which ten years later became the McLean Orchestra, and finally, in 1986, the McLean Symphony. Over the years, Maestro Fleary has developed the amateur musicians of the McLean Symphony into "a first-rate community orchestra."

Born in St. Louis, Missouri,

Dingwall Fleary began playing the piano at age seven. He continued his studies at Kansas and Northwestern Universities where he received honors and degrees in Education and Performance. He later attended L'Academia di Musicale di Chigiana in Siena, Italy, excelling as a Conducting Fellow under Maestro Franco Ferrara.

His accomplishments during the Dimitri Mitropoulos International Conducting Competition in 1971 opened guest conducting opportunities in Switzerland, Germany and Italy. He has appeared before principal orchestras in St. Louis, Baltimore, Fort Worth, Buffalo and Kansas City. During the winter of 1992, Mr. Fleary traveled to Austria where he was one of the four American Conductors to participate in the Mozart Festivals of Salzburg and Vienna.
Multi-talented, Dingwall Fleary combines his gift for molding fine ensembles, both choral and instrumental, with his abilities as a keyboard performer. A harpsichordist, organist and pianist, he enjoys a reputation as an excellent chamber musician, accompanist and coach.

Fleary is a champion of contemporary music, regularly staging premiere performance of works by new composers, some of whom have achieved national and international recognition. Twice he has been honored by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) for his innovative and adventuresome programs, and for being a standard bearer for American composer. A highly visible and responsive cultural, educational, and civic leader in our community, Fleary was the first to receive the award for Outstanding Contribution to the arts, presented annually by the McLean Community center and the McLean Citizens association.

In addition to his work with the McLean Symphony, Fleary was Music Director/Conductor of the District of Columbia Community Orchestra for over a decade. He is currently Director of Music and Organist at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Bethesda, Maryland and has been the Conductor of the Reston Chamber Orchestra since 1995. For five years, Fleary was a member of the Virginia Commission for the Arts and during the last year served as Vice Chairman. He is member of the Friday Morning Music Club of Greater Washington, and has for three seasons served as Music Director of the International Children's Festival.

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