Albert Ligotti is in his 30th year as conductor of the Athens Symphony, the community orchestra he helped found in 1978. An Associate Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Georgia, he served on the music faculty for 27 years teaching conducting and trumpet. Ligotti was founder and director of the UGA Wind Ensemble and UGA Faculty Brass Quintet and served as conductor for the University’s opera and theatre productions.

Prior to his appointment at UGA, Ligotti performed as a professional trumpet player for eleven years with the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Leonard Bernstein. He also performed with the Metropolitan Opera Company, the Boston Pops with Arthur Fiedler, as trumpet soloist with the Knickerbocker Chamber Players, the New York City Opera and Ballet companies, the Goldman Band, the Bell Telephone Television Orchestra, the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra, in Broadway show ensembles, and in brass quintets.

Ligotti studied conducting under Michael Fiviesky with coaching from Pierre Monteaux. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Queen’s College and a master’s degree from Columbia University. Active as an adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor throughout the southeast, Ligotti also arranges and transcribes music, with many works published and professionally recorded. His accomplishments include election to full membership in the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, (ASCAP). He was the recipient of the 1999-2000 Bank of America Man of Achievement Award and received the Distinguished Alumni Music Award from Queen’s College.