Just in: Young Brit in Salzburg baton final for third year running

The three finalists have been announced for the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award and, for the third year running, one of them is British. In 2012 it was Jamie Phillips, now assistant conductor of the Halle. This year it was Ben Gernon, now assistant conductor at the Los ngeles Philharmonic. Next year it’s Leo McFall, who studied at the Sibelius Academy and works with the Meiningen Orchestra. Go, Leo!

Press release follows.

Salzburg, December 22, 2013. – The Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award, which has become one of the most coveted prizes for young conductors, goes into its fifth round.

In its fifth year, candidates from four continents showed interest in this international award for young conductors. Altogether, 82 persons applied.

The jury chose seven candidates from the applications; these were then invited to conduct works by Schoenberg, Varèse, Dalbavie and Ligeti live at the Haus für Mozart.

Thus, the selection process focused more strongly on contemporary music and made the choice of finalists more transparent. Following the rehearsal day with the “oesterreichisches ensemble für neue musik” (oenm, or austrian ensemble for new music), which was closed to the public, the jury chaired by Ingo Metzmacher selected the following three finalists.  

Victor Aviat (31) from France

Leo McFall (32) from Great Britain

Maxime Pascal (28) from France

The audience participates fully in the Award Concert Weekend (February 28, March 1 and 2, 2014), when the recipient of the award – a cash value of € 15,000 – is chosen, who also conducts a Festival concert on August 17, 2014.