Winner of the inaugural Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition 2020
The Hallé has named Delyana Lazarova as the winner of the inaugural Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition. In addition to a cash prize of £15,000, Lazarova will fulfil a two-year engagement as the 8th Assistant Conductor for the Hallé, which also includes the role of Music Director of the Hallé Youth Orchestra. She will take up this appointment in September 2020 and during her tenure will work under the close mentorship of the Hallé’s Music Director Sir Mark Elder, and assist other visting international conductors. Second prize, which includes a cash prize of £3,000, was awarded to Venezuelan-born Rodolfo Barráez, while British conductor Joel Sandelson received the third prize, which includes a cash prize of £2,000.
“It has been a week of huge excitement for us all to meet, and work with, these wonderful young conductors at the start of their careers,” said Sir Mark Elder. “With so much extraordinary talent on display, choosing the winner was very difficult, but I am delighted to welcome Delyana as the new young conductor of the Hallé, and look forward enormously to our work together.”
The competition attracted 287 applicants representing 55 countries across all six continents. After two thrilling days at Hallé St Peter’s in Manchester, Lazarova was one of four finalists selected from ten international semi-finalists to rehearse and perform with the Hallé on Saturday 22 February. Lazarova commented on her appointment: "I am extremely excited to have received this prize. The whole experience was incredibly rewarding and I very much enjoyed working alongside such fabulous colleagues. I consider it a great privilege to be able to work with the Hallé and Sir Mark Elder, whom I consider to be an exceptional artist, musician and mind. I am really looking forward to the next two years and being part of the Hallé family."
Born in Bulgaria and resident in Switzerland, in 2019 Lazarova received the James Conlon Conducting Prize at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival, and has worked with Hradec-Kralove Philharmonic Orchestra in Czech Republic, Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra in Greece, Meiningen and Konstanz Symphony Orchestras in Germany.
The judging panel comprised the Hallé Artistic team led by Sir Mark Elder, Music Director; Professor Dr. Stephan Frucht, Artistic Director of the Siemens Arts Program; Arna Kristín Einarsdóttir, Managing Director of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra; Carola Reul, Managing Director of the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie; and Julia Albrecht, Director of the Artist Management Department of Konzertdirektion Schmid.
The Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition builds upon a remarkable partnership between the Hallé and Siemens AG, a global technology powerhouse, that has been developed over the last two decades. Creating links between engineering and music, Siemens and the Hallé have not only brought classical music to Manchester audiences, they have collaborated on delivering a variety of education and community outreach projects that engage children and support communities throughout the North of England.
Competition
The inaugural Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition will take place in Manchester Thursday 20th – Saturday 22nd February 2020. Applications are invited by Monday 1st July 2019 at 13:00 GMT, and Semi-Finalists will be announced in September 2019.
Semi-Finalists will attend the entirety of the Competition in Manchester Thursday 20th – Saturday 22nd February 2020. All Semi-Finalists will work with the Hallé Youth Orchestra on Thursday 20th February, before completing a Digital Challenge on Friday 21st February.
Finalists will be selected by the end of Friday 21st February. Finalists will be interviewed on Saturday 22nd February morning before working with the Hallé in the Final.
The Winner of the Competition will be announced on the evening of Saturday 22nd February 2020.
First Prize
£15,000
Cash prize and Hallé Assistant Conductor role for a minimum of 2 years.
Assistant Conductor Role
The Assistant Conductor role will include a guaranteed number of conducting engagements, with a phased programme of concerts with the Hallé in Manchester and elsewhere over the following 2 years, and with engagements with Orchestras on an international level. They will be an outstanding musician, a confident communicator and a flexible team worker, eager to learn from those around them.
Key tasks of the Assistant Conductor are:
To shadow the Hallé’s Music Director and visiting conductors, and assist them in matters of balance, off stage conducting, pre-rehearsals, and/or sectionals
To conduct a minimum of five public concerts with the Hallé each year
To become Music Director of the Hallé Youth Orchestra
To direct the Youth Orchestra’s regular weekly term-time rehearsals on Sunday afternoons and public concerts (approximately 4-5 per year)
To lead the Youth Orchestra’s artistic planning process and auditions
To study scores associated with the above, reading all scores of new music sent to the Music Director and Head of artistic planning and providing advice on their suitability for performance
To sit in on Hallé rehearsals and performances (including touring) in and outside Manchester, and be ready to stand in if appropriate
To play a part in the Hallé’s artistic planning team, attending meetings as and when required, and participate in the Hallé’s education programme where appropriate
Second Prize
£3,000
The winner of the second place in the Competition will receive a £3,000 cash prize.
Third Prize
£2,000
The winner of the third place in the Competition will receive a £2,000 cash prize.
The Panel reserves the right to award any additional prizes as it sees fit.
Heritage
“Since its founding in 2002, the Hallé’s Assistant Conductorship has developed a track record for impacting the lives of rising stars, many of whom have gone on to great commercial and critical success. We are delighted to be working with Siemens to extend this opportunity to global audiences, bringing the very best and brightest musical talent to Manchester.”
Founded in 2002 alongside the Hallé Youth Orchestra, the position of Hallé Assistant Conductor is a prestigious role for emerging talented conductors. The unique opportunity of this role is to receive ongoing mentoring from Sir Mark Elder and the opportunity to learn and develop in a nurturing environment, supported by professional Hallé players and administrative staff from all Hallé departments. Previous incumbents of the post include Edward Gardner, Andrew Gourlay, Ewa Strusinska and Jamie Phillips, and the current Assistant Conductor is Jonathon Heyward.