John Jeter is presently in his sixteenth season as the Music Director and Conductor of the Fort Smith Symphony (Arkansas). He is the recipient of the American Symphony Orchestra League 2002 Helen M. Thompson Award. This national award “in recognition of outstanding artistic leadership” is presented to one “early career” music director in the United States every two years. Mr. Jeter has been given The Mayor’s Achievement Award presented by the City of Fort Smith “for His Outstanding Talents in the Field of Music” and in 2005, the Mayor’s Civic Center Award for the Performing Arts. Most recently, Mr. Jeter is the recipient of the 2012 Governor’s Arts Award “Individual Artist Award.”

Mr. Jeter has created numerous new ensembles, projects and programs including the Fort Smith Symphony String Quartet and Woodwind Quintet, composer-in-residence program, guest artists in the schools program and “Earquake™” concerts for sixth grade students employing multi-media and large symphony orchestra. His efforts have led to the Fort Smith Symphony’s international recording on Naxos as well as a feature length film festival documentary about the Symphony called “Extreme Orchestra”.

Mr. Jeter is co-host of “Conductor’s Choice” of KUAF National Public Radio and co-producer of the Symphony’s television and radio commercials. His media presence in the community has included a weekly radio talk show and “Addy” Award winning “Custom Classics” infomercials on Clear Channel, Cumulus and KTCS radio. Mr. Jeter is also seen on televised music infomercials produced by CoxMedia and KFSM Channel 5. With the release of the Symphony’s CD on Naxos, Mr. Jeter was interviewed by over 20 radio and television stations throughout the United States including classical radio stations in New York City, Dallas and Memphis to name a few. Mr. Jeter is concept creator for all of the Symphony’s season brochures and video projects. His narrative writings for Arkansas Arts Council Grants have consistently ranked among the highest in the state.

Mr. Jeter has held conducting positions with the Indianapolis Symphony, North Arkansas Symphony, Greater Indianapolis Youth Symphony, Purdue University, University of Tulsa and University of Oklahoma. He has conducted numerous orchestras in the United States and Europe. These include the Wichita Symphony, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Symphony (SC), Mississippi Gulf Coast Symphony, Springfield Symphony Orchestra (MO), Illinois Chamber Symphony and the West Bohemian Symphony (Czech Republic). He has participated in American Symphony Orchestra League Conducting Workshops in Pittsburgh, Chicago, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the Hartt School of Music with a degree in Music Theory and Piano and graduated with distinction from Butler University’s Jordan College of Fine Arts with a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting. Mr. Jeter is a voting member of The Recording Academy for the classical music categories of the Grammy Awards.

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