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Costa Rican conductor Luis Castillo-Briceño is a 2024/25 Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, working closely alongside Music Director Gustavo Dudamel and distinguished guest conductors. Previously, he served as Conducting Fellow with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Edward Gardner, making his UK debut at the Brighton Dome in 2023. Upcoming debuts include performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Sinfonieorchester St Gallen, and Philharmonie Luxembourg, as well as conducting engagements on the LPO’s U.S. tour in 2024. In June 2024, Luis was named Designate Winner at the International Conducting Competition Rotterdam. Fluent in English, Spanish, French, and German, Luis currently resides in Zurich.
Conductor, Bar Avni is the First Prize winner of the 2024 La Maestra competition in Paris, a Prize awarded to her by an illustrious jury chaired by Natalie Stutzmann. Avni was the clear winner and swept the board at the competition, also winning The Orchestra Prize, the ‘Arte Prize’, the ‘Echo Award’ and the ‘Prize of the French Concert Halls and Orchestras’. For the next two years, she is a scholarship holder of the La Maestra Academy. There has subsequently been great interest in her work with invitations coming immediately from a number of major international orchestras. Avni’s astute and creative programming coupled with her clear, yet elegant conducting style is making a strong impression on all who encounter her.
Bar Avni is currently Chief Conductor of the Bayer Philharmoniker, a position she has held since 2021. She is the first female conductor to hold this position in the orchestra’s 120 year history. She is strongly committed to the promotion of new, young talent and has worked closely with the team in Bayer to devise a number of exciting music education projects, a topic she feels very strongly about.
A trained classical percussionist, the Israeli conductor initially performed in her country’s leading orchestras, after which her desire to conduct took her to Tel Aviv where she studied with Yoav Talmi, later becoming the assistant conductor of the Israel Chamber Orchestra under Talmi’s direction. She continued her studies with Martin Sieghart in Graz and Ulrich Windfuhr in Hamburg. In 2017/18, Avni was assistant to General Music Director, Peter Kuhn, at the Bergischer Symphoniker and in 2021, she became the youngest prize-winner and Scholarship holder of the International Kurt Masur Institute.
A fascinating personality of the international music scene, Ion Marin is one of few conductors to work on the highest level in both the symphonic and operatic domains. He has conducted virtually all the great European orchestras, including the Berliner Philharmoniker, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre national de France, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and St. Petersburg Philharmonic. He also appears regularly in Japan, where he conducts the NHK Symphony Orchestra and the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. He is a regular guest at the world’s major opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bayerische Staatsoper and Opéra national de Paris. The Salzburg Mozarteum University appointed Maestro Ion Marin Professor of the Endowed Claudio Abbado chair for conducting, starting academic year 2020/2021. He is also the Artistic Director of the University’s symphonic activities.
Born in Romania, Ion Marin studied composition, piano and conducting at the George Enescu Music Academy and at Mozarteum Salzburg. He also studied philosophy and the history of religion. Defecting from Romania’s dictatorship in 1986 led to a new life and musical career as well as his receiving Austrian citizenship. He became Resident Conductor of the Wiener Staatsoper during Claudio Abbado’s tenure (1987-1991) and worked with some of the leading singers of the world. In Vienna, he also benefited from the guidance of Herbert von Karajan and Carlos Kleiber.
In 2012, Maestro Marin initiated the Cantus Mundi and the Symphonia Mundi projects in Romania, dedicated to the education and social integration of the country’s disadvantaged children through music. Today more than 70.000 children benefit from this program.
In 2021 Ion Marin was awarded the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of the French Republic.
Luca Ballabio obtained a Master’s Degree in Orchestra Conducting at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, studying under Marc Kissoczy and Arturo Tamayo. He focused on opera through courses with Riccardo Muti and Daniel Oren. As assistant conductor to Sesto Quatrini from 2018 to 2020, he contributed to productions at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre. Luca made his mark at the Rossini Opera Festival in 2021, conducting Il Viaggio a Reims to critical acclaim. He served as cover conductor for Norma at La Monnaie Opera House in Brussels. Invited by numerous institutions, he has conducted various orchestras worldwide. Notable performances include those at Serate Musicali and the Verdi Hall in Milan. Since the 2021/22 season, Luca has been the Music Director of the Filarmonica Ettore Pozzoli and co-founded the FEP Specialization Course in Operatic Singing. He began his musical journey with a Master’s Degree in Music Performance (Trombone) in Leipzig. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with esteemed musicians across major European orchestras and opera houses.
Nathanaël Iselin, a French conductor based in Scandinavia, secured the First Prize and Orchestra Prize at the Eighth International Jorma Panula Conducting Competition. In 2023, he served as Conductor in Residence of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and earned Second Prize at the German Conducting Award, conducting the WDR Sinfonieorchester and Gürzenich-Orchester. His notable achievements include leading performances with orchestras such as the Danish Radio Orchestra, the Copenhagen Philharmonic, and the orchestras of Odense, Aarhus, and Oulu, in repertoire ranging from Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique to Debussy’s La Mer. Nathanël has also conducted operatic productions including Cenerentola, Carmen, and Rigoletto. His extensive training in orchestra conducting includes studies in Helsinki, Paris, Zurich, and Copenhagen, under the guidance of renowned conductors like Iván Fischer, Mariss Jansons, and Sakari Oramo.Top of Form
Argentinian conductor Michelle Di Russo was recently appointed Associate Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony under the guidance of Robert Spano. She has also distinguished herself as a 2023 Dudamel Fellow with the LA Philharmonic and a mentee of the Taki Alsop Fellowship. Michelle’s accomplishments include being a former conducting fellow of the Lucerne Festival Academy, Chicago Sinfonietta’s Project Inclusion program, and The Dallas Opera Hart Institute, as well as a recipient of the Richard S. Weinert award from Concert Artists Guild. Notable guest conducting debuts with the LA Philharmonic, Knoxville Symphony, Delaware Symphony, and Vermont Symphony among others, underscore her rising stature in the conducting world. Additionally, her experience as a cover conductor for orchestras such as the St Louis Symphony and the National Symphony, and her regular performances with the North Carolina Symphony, further attest to her versatility and skill.
Rita Castro Blanco, one of Portugal’s most promising young conductors, has made significant debuts with the Orquestra Gulbenkian, Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa, and Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa. Currently serving as Assistant Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for the 2023/24 season, Rita’s career continues to ascend. In addition to her orchestral engagements, she freelances as an Assistant Conductor, collaborating with esteemed conductors such as Nuno Coelho, Giancarlo Guerrero, Joana Carneiro, and Clark Rundell. Rita’s passion for opera and contemporary music has led her to prestigious festivals like Tanglewood, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, and Lucerne Festival. Throughout her studies, Rita has enriched her skills through masterclasses with renowned ensembles including the Royal Opera House Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, and Balthasar Neumann Ensemble. Recent highlights in her career include performances with the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfonica de Navarra, and Real Filarmonía de Galicia.
Cyrille Nanchen began his singing training at the Schola de Sion, first as a soprano and then as a baritone, before joining several vocal ensembles in his home town.
He also studied piano, singing, theory and choral conducting at the Conservatoires of Sion and Fribourg. In 2018, he obtained his piano certificate in the classes of Cornelia Venetz and Rita Possa.
After studying music for a year at the University of Fribourg, Cyrille Nanchen was accepted as a choral conductor in the classes of Beat Schäfer and Markus Utz at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, where he also studied singing with Roswitha Müller. He also had the opportunity to work with Anders Eby (SE).
Since autumn 2018, he has been assistant director and singer of the Oberwalliser Vokalensemble.
Finnish conductor Tarmo Peltokoski was awarded the title of “Principal Guest Conductor” in January 2022 by The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the first conductor to hold this position in the orchestra’s 42-year history.
In May 2022, Peltokoski was named Music and Artistic Director of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. He starts his term in the 22/23 season. He was subsequently named Principal Guest Conductor of the Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest. In August 2022 at the age of 22, he completed his first Wagner Ring cycle at the Eurajoki Bel Canto Festival. In December 2022, Peltokoski was announced as Music Director of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse.
Last season he made highly successful debuts with the hr- Sinfonieorchester, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the Rotterdam Philharmonic.
In the summer of 2022 he appeared at Rheingau Musik Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Beethovenfest Bonn and Musikfest Bremen.
In the 22/23 season Tarmo Peltokoski has conducted the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, RSB Berlin, the Hallé, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Göteborgs Symfoniker, San Diego Symphony and the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. He returned to Eurajoki Bel Canto Festival to conduct Tristan und Isolde.
In summer 2023 he will work with Latvian National Symphony in Riga for Siegfried.
In the 23/24 season Tarmo Peltokoski will conduct Don Giovanni at the Finnish National Opera. In the Fall he will be returning to Rotterdam Philharmonic and make his debut with The National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC both with Yuja Wang as soloist. Early 2024 sees him presenting both Mahler’s Fourth Symphony and a complete Prokofiev Piano Concerto Cycle with Jan Lisiecki, both with the The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. In July 2024, Peltokoski is set to conduct Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9 in Toulouse and Wagner’s Götterdämmerung in Riga.
He will debut with Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, at Pfingstfestspiele Baden-Baden and with The Oslo Philharmonic.
He has and will work with soloists such as Yuja Wang, Asmik Grigorian, Matthias Goerne, Jan Lisiecki, Julia Fischer, Golda Schultz, Martin Fröst, Janine Jansen, Leonidas Kavakos, Chen Reiss and Sol Gabetta.
Tarmo Peltokoski began his studies with professor emeritus Jorma Panula at the age of 14 and studied with Sakari Oramo at the Sibelius Academy. He has also been taught by Hannu Lintu, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Also an acclaimed pianist, he studied piano at the Sibelius Academy with Antti Hotti. His piano playing has been awarded at many competitions and he has appeared as a soloist with all major Finnish orchestras.
In 2022 he received the Lotto Prize at Rheingau Musik Festival and in 2023 he received the OPUS Klassik for his recording with The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen.
In addition Tarmo Peltokoski has also studied composing and arranging, and especially enjoys music comedy and improvisation.
Vasily Petrenko is Music Director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (since 2021), and Chief Conductor of the European Union Youth Orchestra (since 2015). He is Conductor Laureate of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, following his hugely acclaimed fifteen year tenure as their Chief Conductor from 2006-2021, and has also served as Principal Guest Conductor and subsequently Artistic Director of the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia (2016-2022), Chief Conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (2013-2020), Principal Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (2009–2013), and Principal Guest Conductor of St Petersburg’s Mikhailovsky Theatre, where he began his career as Resident Conductor (1994–1997).
Vasily Petrenko was born in 1976 and started his music education at the St Petersburg Capella Boys Music School – Russia’s oldest music school. He then studied at the St Petersburg Conservatoire where he participated in masterclasses with such luminary figures as Ilya Musin, Mariss Jansons and Yuri Temirkanov.
He has worked with many of the world’s most prestigious orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus, London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Rome), St Petersburg Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, Czech Philharmonic, NHK Symphony and Sydney Symphony orchestras. He has appeared at the Edinburgh Festival, Grafenegg Festival and made frequent appearances at the BBC Proms. Recent years have seen a series of highly successful North American debuts, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and the San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Montréal and St Louis Symphony orchestras.
Equally at home in the opera house, and with over thirty operas in his repertoire, Vasily Petrenko made his debuts in 2010 at Glyndebourne Festival Opera (Macbeth) and the Opéra de Paris (Eugene Onegin), and in recent seasons has also conducted at the Mikhailovsky Theatre, Zürich Opera and Bayerische Staatsoper. In the 19/20 season, he also made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera New York with a production of The Queen of Spades.
Vasily Petrenko has established a strongly defined profile as a recording artist. Amongst a wide discography, his Shostakovich symphony cycle for Naxos Records with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has garnered worldwide acclaim. With the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, he has recently released cycles of Scriabin’s symphonies and Strauss’ tone poems.
In September 2017, Vasily Petrenko was honoured with the Artist of the Year award at the prestigious annual Gramophone Awards, one decade on from receiving their Young Artist of the Year award in October 2007. In 2010, he won the Male Artist of the Year at the Classical BRIT Awards and is only the second person to have been awarded Honorary Doctorates by both the University of Liverpool and Liverpool Hope University (in 2009), and an Honorary Fellowship of the Liverpool John Moores University (in 2012), awards which recognise the immense impact he has had on the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the city’s cultural scene.