The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Keitaro Harada, The 2023 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Keitaro Harada maintains a growing international presence throughout North America, Asia, Mexico, and Europe. Music and Artistic Director of Savannah Philharmonic since the 2020-21 season, Harada recently renewed his contract through the 2026-27 Season. The 2020–21 season also marked the beginning of Harada’s tenure as Associate Conductor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, creating two cities—and two artistic anchors—where he is based. His broad and eclectic musical scope ranges from symphonic, opera, and chamber works to pops, film scores, ballet,educational outreach, and multidisciplinary projects, all of which enrich his programming.

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Earl Lee, The 2022 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Earl Lee is a renowned Korean-Canadian conductor who has captivated audiences worldwide. Currently Assistant Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra his appearances in the 21/22 season included leading the San Francisco Symphony, Seoul Philharmonic, and Ann Arbor Symphony in subscription; the New York Philharmonic in its annual Lunar New Year Gala; debuts with the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at New York’s Lincoln Center, the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood, and with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam as a participant in the Ammodo masterclasses led by Fabio Luisi. In 2022-23, Earl returns to the San Francisco Symphony, conducts his Boston Symphony subscription debut, and joins the Ann Arbor Symphony as Music Director. Read more…

Gemma New, The 2021 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Sought after for her insightful interpretations and dynamic presence, New Zealand-born Gemma New is Music Director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Hailed by the (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) as “a rising star in the musical firmament”, New is the recipient of the prestigious 2021 Sir George Solti Conducting Award.

New’s 2021/22 season includes subscription appearances with National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Baltimore Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra and Kansas City Symphony. Increasingly in demand in Europe, New will make debuts with WDR Sinfonieorchester, BBC Philharmonic, Hallé Orchestra, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestre National d’Ile de France. Read more…

Aram Demirjian, The 2020 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Widely acclaimed for his transformative work as the music director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (KSO) and frequent appearances with The Philadelphia Orchestra, Aram Demirjian is sought after for his “graceful, energetic direction” (Sarasota Herald Tribune), bold programming, and distinctive communication skills with audience members and musicians alike.

As the eighth Music Director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Aram has brought the orchestra to new artistic heights. Under his leadership, the orchestra has seen sustained increases in ticket revenue, in addition to national recognition for its achievements, including being selected in 2020 as one of four orchestras to be featured at SHIFT: A Festival of American Orchestras, presented by the Kennedy Center and Washington Performing Arts. Read more…

Yaniv Dinur, The 2019 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Resident Conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, Dinur is lauded for his bold programming, insightful performances, and unique ability to connect with diverse audiences, from season subscribers to first-time concertgoers. Currently in his fourth season as Music Director of the New Bedford Symphony, he leads the orchestra with star soloists such as Yefim Bronfman, Joyce Yang, Stephen Hough, and Pinchas Zukerman. As the Resident Conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony, Dinur conducts more than 50 concerts per season. Read more…

Roderick Cox, The 2018 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Berlin-based American conductor, Roderick Cox, has gained international attention for recent appearances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Grand Opera, and Philharmonia Orchestra (London). Forthcoming highlights include his debuts with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester and Orchestre National de Montpellier, opera debuts at the Metropolitan Opera and San Francisco Opera (both with Il barbiere di Siviglia), and performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic (at Hollywood Bowl), Cincinnati Symphony, Aspen Music Festival Chamber Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony, Arkansas Symphony, and Tucson Symphony. Read more…

Christopher Allen, The 2017 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Christopher Allen has led acclaimed performances with the Atlanta Symphony, Los Angeles Opera, Opera Philadelphia, English National Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Washington National Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Atlanta Opera, Daegu Opera House in South Korea and China National Opera Orchestra and Chorus. As The John L. Magro Resident Conductor for Cincinnati Opera, Mo. Allen has joined the company for three consecutive seasons, in addition to leading the Cincinnati Symphony in the annual Washington Park Concert each summer.

In the 2019/20 season, Maestro Allen’s schedule includes a return to Florida Grand Opera and Michigan Opera Theatre to conduct Mozart’s Don Giovanni. He makes conducting debuts at Arizona Opera in Puccini’s La bohème, Opera Omaha’s One Festival in Bellini’s I Capuleti e I Montecchi, and with Opéra de Montréal for Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Read more…

Karina Canellakis, The 2016 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Karina Canellakis is the Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Karina’s upcoming season includes concerts with some of the finest European and US orchestras: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, to name a few.  Read more…

Vladimir Kulenovic, The 2015 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Vladimir Kulenovic has conducted orchestras worldwide includingthe National Arts Centre Orchestra/Ottawa, Beethoven-Orchester/Bonn, Deutsche Kammerakademie/Neuss am Rhein, Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Leipziger Symphonieorchester, Württembergische Philharmonie, Basque National Orchestra of Spain, Orquesta Sinfónica de España, Orquesta Sinfónica Camera Musicae/Barcelona, Orquesta Classica de Santa Cecilia/Madrid, Taipei Symphony, and the Slovenian RTV Symphony. Read more…

Cristian Macelaru, The 2014 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Newly appointed Chief Conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester, Music Director Designate of Orchestre National de France, Cristian Măcelaru is one of the fast-rising stars of the conducting world. He takes on the new positions at WDR and ONF — Europe’s leading radio orchestras — effective with the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons respectfully. Măcelaru is Music Director and Conductor of the internationally renowned Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. In August 2019, he led his third season in premiere-filled programs of new works by an esteemed group of composers. Read more…

James Feddeck, The 2013 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Recent seasons have seen debuts with the Vienna Radio Symphony, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Orchestre National de Belgique, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre National de Lyon, the BBC Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Hallé Orchestra, and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. In North America he has conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, and the Dallas, Seattle, San Francisco, Toronto, and Montréal Symphony Orchestras. Read more…

Case Scaglione, The 2011 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Case Scaglione is Chief Conductor of the Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn and Music Director Designate of Orchestre national d’Île de France (19/20). He has previously served as Associate Conductor with the New York Philharmonic and Music Director of the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra of Los Angeles. High in demand as a guest conductor across the globe, Case’s recent distinguished European engagements include debut and return appearances with Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Ulster Symphony, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Brussels Philharmonic, Flanders Symphony Orchestra and Brno Philharmonic. In North America, Case has worked with New York Philharmonic, Houston,  Dallas, Detroit, Phoenix, San Diego and Baltimore symphony orchestras. Read more…

Erik Nielsen, The 2009 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Erik Nielsen became Chief Conductor of the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra in September 2015 and served as Music Director of Theater Basel from 2016 – 2018. In 2002 he began a 10-year association with the Frankfurt Opera, starting as Korrepetitor (pianist) and later as Kapellmeister.  One year prior to this, he was a harpist in the Berlin Philharmonic as a member of its Orchester-Akademie.

Erik studied conducting at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and received his bachelor’s degree in both oboe and harp performance at The Juilliard School. Read more…

Anthony Barrese, The 2007 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow

The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award

Currently Mr. Barrese works as a freelance composer and conductor. He has led several productions with Sarasota Opera (Lakmé, Le nozze di Figaro, Hansel and Gretel), and with Opera Southwest (Le nozze di Figaro, Die Fledermaus, La cenerentola) where he is Artistic Director and Principal Conductor. He was the Assistant Conductor of the Dallas Opera in 2006-2007 and returned there as Guest Conductor for a production of Tosca in 2008. For more information: Read more…