Between her positions as musical director of the Baltimore and São Paulo Symphony Orchestras as well as her work with the Vienna Radio Orchestra, the highly prized American conductor Marin Alsop is with us, before her concerts on the 9th. and September 10 with the Orchester de Paris.
Born in New York City, to professional musician parents, Marin Alsop was first introduced to the piano at the age of three, then studied the violin.
After studying at Yale University, she graduated from the Juilliard School in the violin class.
It is by going to listen to a concert conducted by Leonard Bernstein that she had the revelation of becoming a conductor. He will become a few years later, his master. Marin Alsop will also learn from Seiji Ozawa.
She decided to create two orchestras: The String Fever in 1981 and the Concordia Orchestra in 1984.
In 1993, she found herself at the head of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, succeeding Philippe Entremont. In 2008, she became conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra until 2008.
In 2007, she became musical director of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, which earned it to be extended until 2021. In 2012, Marin Alsop was appointed directrice musicale du São Paulo Symphony Orchestra. Since the 2019 season, she has been the principal conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra.
His three orchestras facing the Covid
This morning, Marin Alsop looks back on the current terrible situation happening in Brazil. This country is hard hit by the coronavirus: “he is having real health problems”. The conductor says that her Sao Paulo Orchestra has lost one of its musicians to the virus. “The situation is very serious “ in this country. The orchestra has resumed a few small concerts but the difficulty of getting to Brazil does not allow Marin Alsop to envisage a future with his musicians in the short term.
“It is the very nature of art in the United States, it is a perpetual struggle”. Sailor Alsop
As far as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is concerned, Marin Alsop is in utter uncertainty: “I don’t know when we will be able to have concerts in public again. Everything has stopped! It is a scary moment for the artists because they do not receive any help from the government. We must protect them but also to protect future generations “.
Concerts with the Orchester de Paris
Marin Alsop will come to conduct the Orchester de Paris on September 9 and 10 at La Philharmonie de Paris, thus opening the season for the Parisian phalanx. Pianist Khatia Buniatishvili will be at his side to perform Beethoven’s 1st piano concerto. Dmitri Chostakovich’s 5th Symphony will follow.
La Maestra, conductor competition
Initially scheduled for last March, the orchestral conducting competition will be held from September 15 to 18 at La Philharmonie de Paris. Co-directed by Claire Gibault, artistic and musical director of the Paris Mozart Orchestra, and Laurent Bayle, general director of the Philharmonie de Paris, this competition aims to highlight twelve candidates selected from around the world.
The competition will include several prizes, professional commitments as well as career support.
La Maestra is a real springboard for young chefs.
Marin Alsop is a member of the jury for this edition.
The elimination rounds will take place on September 15 and 16. The semi-final takes place on September 17 and the final on September 18.
Admission is free by reservation, except for the final.
According to Marin Alsop, this La Maestra competition is much more than a competition: “it’s about opening up opportunities when there are fewer and few “ for women. She adds that “the situation has changed a lot in the last 5 years, the Me Too movement has opened many doors“.
Finally, she ends by adding that upon her arrival at the helm of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2019, she felt extremely welcome, “while this city is reputed to be conservative“.
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