{"id":105696,"date":"2024-07-04T13:56:47","date_gmt":"2024-07-04T17:56:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=105696"},"modified":"2024-07-04T14:00:01","modified_gmt":"2024-07-04T18:00:01","slug":"the-scoop-nac-orchestra-appoints-henry-kennedy-as-first-resident-conductor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/07\/04\/the-scoop-nac-orchestra-appoints-henry-kennedy-as-first-resident-conductor\/","title":{"rendered":"THE SCOOP | NAC Orchestra Appoints Henry Kennedy As First Resident Conductor"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Conductor
Conductor Henry Kennedy (Photo: Curtis Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Canada\u2019s National Arts Centre Orchestra (NACO) has announced the appointment of Nova Scotian conductor Henry Kennedy to the new position of Resident Conductor. A native of New Glasgow, NS, Kennedy will begin his two-year term at the start of the 2024-25 season.<\/p>\n

More than 50 submissions were received from eligible Canadians and Permanent Residents. From the long list, five finalists were auditioned. Feedback from the orchestra members and the Artistic Advisory Committee was considered, and the final decision was made by Music Director Alexander Shelley.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the National Arts Centre, as we expand our suite of professional development opportunities for Canadian artists,\u201d says Nelson McDougall<\/strong>, NACO Managing Director.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe number of applicants for this position shows the need for increased collaboration from Orchestra across Canada to support the next generation of Canadian conductors, and we are already moving on plans to achieve this for the many talented young conductors we discovered through this process. By adding this new role to existing programs, like our NACO Mentorship Program, and programs we support such as Tapestry Opera\u2019s Women in Musical Leadership Program, the international Maestra and Malko competitions, and OAcademy, we are maximizing efforts towards the development of young conductors. There is nothing more important than top-flight, hands-on work for a conductor in the early stages of their career.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maestro Henry Kennedy<\/h3>\n

From Nova Scotia, Kennedy has studied and pursued his career largely in the U.K. to this point. The 27 year-old was Conductor of Poland\u2019s Wroclaw Opera for the 2022-23 season, and in the summer of 2023, served as Assistant Conductor to Sir John Eliot Gardiner for Berlioz\u2019s opera Les Troyens. That production toured to the Berlioz Festival, Salzburg Festival, The Royal Opera of Versailles, Berliner Philharmonie, and BBC Proms.<\/p>\n

Later this year, he\u2019ll be conducting performances of Tosca in Italy with Orchestra Cherubini in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Puccini\u2019s death, and making his debut with the Warsaw Radio Orchestra.<\/p>\n

Other notable achievements:<\/p>\n