In Sunday’s (12/13) Guardian (London), Amelia Hill and Vanessa Thorpe write, “Last night 26-year-old Robin Ticciati, the new principal conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, made his long-awaited debut at Glasgow’s City Halls in the company of Magdalena Kožená, one of the world’s finest singers. Spotted at the age of 15 by Sir Colin Davis, this first appearance by the tall, tousle-haired young Londoner had been hotly anticipated. … British orchestras are increasingly defying tradition by hiring a fresh generation of brilliant young maestros. Of 19 professional orchestras in this country, nine have principal conductors so young that, until only recently, they would not have been taken seriously either by orchestras or audiences. … [30-year-old] Latvian Andris Nelsons has been secured as principal conductor and music director by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) until 2014. … At 33, the Israeli Ilan Volkov—principal guest conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra—remains the youngest person to hold the enviable position of conductor with a BBC orchestra. Also 33, Vasily Petrenko has been credited with galvanising the Liverpool Philharmonic: buffing up what was widely recognised to be a demoralised orchestra to a sleek, shining international standard.”
Posted December 14, 2009
