Ex-prodigy makes Salzburg conducting shortlist
mainThe Nestlé award finalists were announced this morning.
They are:
Ciarán McAuley (Ireland), 32,
Alexander Prior (Great Britain), 23
and Aziz Shokhakimov (Uzbekistan), 27.
Prior, parentally promoted as a child composer, came second at 16 in the Leeds conducting competition and was named assistant conductor in Seattle the following year.
McCauley was raised in Zimbabwe. He is presently assistant conductor with the Malaysian Philharmonic.
Shokhakimov became chief conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan at age 17.
I do know Alexander since his teenage years. Even then, from our Facebook chats, I knew he would be destined to eventually become a significant musical force to reckon with. I was correct. Good luck to all of these brilliant conductors of the next generation. (Alexander– if you do win, I expect a year’s supply of chocolate!)
Hard to believe, but a new generation of Conductor’s is popping up fastly and furiously! If one wishes to make a ‘Return to the Concert Stage’ it is great to
follow the young McCauley! Very exotic ~ perhaps Khachaturian might grab him!
Elisabeth Matesky *
* Heifetz protege ~ YouTube: JH Violin Master Classes, USC (Khachaturian, 1st
mov’t, JH-7, Elisabeth Matesky)
*International musical career/Profile at: http://www.linkedin.com