DePaul University's School of Music has appointed Chicago conductor, composer and commercial musician Cliff Colnot as conductor of the DePaul Symphony Orchestra.

"We're thrilled to bring Cliff Colnot, one of the America's most talented conductors, teachers and composers, to the podium for DePaul," said Donald Casey, dean of the School of Music. "He has impeccable credentials in virtually all aspects of music, including jazz, contemporary, classical and commercial music. In every sense of the term, he is a complete musician."

Colnot said his primary goal will be to "teach a set of professional and musical values which reflect standards and practices consistent with those of master musicians and soulful citizens. Hopefully, in the process the orchestra will develop a sense of pride and cohesion which will ultimately serve both the music and musicians in a positive and inspirational way."

Colnot has taught jazz composition and arranging at DePaul for more than a dozen years. As conductor of the orchestra next season, Colnot will lead nearly 100 undergraduate and graduate students who come from around the world to study with the school's outstanding faculty. The orchestra presents several free public performances each year at the DePaul Concert Hall and an annual spring concert in Chicago's Orchestra Hall.

A distinguished conductor, composer and musician of uncommon range, Colnot has received critical acclaim for his performances of Schoenberg's Peirrot Lunaire at Carnegie Hall and Ralph Shapey's

Partita for Violin and Thirteen Instruments.

In 1993, he conducted the world premiere of John Eaton's opera, Genesis, and in 1996 led the first performance of Michael Tenzer's Sources of the Current with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO). He has recorded new works by Eaton, Shulamit Ran and Charles Argersinger for the Erato and Koch international labels.

Colnot's collaboration with the CSO has included conducting programs on the orchestra's new music series, Crosscurrents, and has provided him with an opportunity to consult with Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez and other master musicians. During Boulez's 70th birthday celebration, Colnot led a praised CSO performance of Le marteau san maitre. He also has conducted The Contemporary Chamber Players at The University of Chicago, The Civic Orchestra of Chicago and Ballet Chicago.

As CEO for his production company, Cliff Colnot Music, Inc., he has written hundreds of compositions in a variety of styles for television and film. He adapted and arranged classic 1930s jazz compositions for the MGM/United Artists movie, "Hoodlum," scheduled for release in August.

Colnot was recently commissioned to reconceive Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait." His new jazz version of the work, based on the music of Duke Ellington, will debut at the "I Remember Ella" concert April 26 at the Art Institute of Chicago's Rubloff Auditorium. Colnot is an honors graduate of Florida State University and in 1995 he received its Ernst von Dohnanyi Distinguished Alumni Award. He earned his doctorate from Northwestern University, where he later served on the conducting faculty and organized an award-winning jazz program.