The Solti Foundation U.S., named for legendary conductor Georg Solti and based in Evanston, Illinois, announced eight awards to support the careers of young American conductors. Cristian Macelaru, associate conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, is the recipient of the 2014 $25,000 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award, among the largest grants given to American conductors in the formative years of their careers. Seven conductors were granted the 2014 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Awards. These awards are given to encourage and provide critical assistance to talented conductors early in their professional careers. The honorees are: Yaniv Attar, music director of the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra in Washington state; Conner Gray Covington, assistant conductor of the Memphis Symphony; Keitaro Harada, associate conductor of the Arizona Opera and participant in the League of American Orchestras 2013 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview; Vladimir Kulenovic, associate conductor of Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, resident conductor of Belgrade Philharmonic, and participant in the League of American Orchestras 2013 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview; Shizuo Z Kuwahara, music director of Symphony Orchestra Augusta, a League of American Orchestras American Conducting Fellow, and a participant in the League’s 2005 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview; Lee Mills, assistant conductor of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra and a masterclass participant of the League of American Orchestras 2013 National Conference; and Joseph Young, assistant conductor at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, League of American Orchestras American Conducting Fellow, and 2011 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview participant. Solti Foundation Board Chair Penny Van Horn stated, “The Solti Foundation U.S. takes great pride in identifying and providing assistance in their development.”
Posted April 7, 2014
