18 Young Conductors selected for distinguished Career Assistance Awards from The Solti Foundation U.S.
Selected musicians represent the importance of diversity, community and cultural impact.
Evanston, IL– The Solti Foundation U.S. has selected 18 young conductors to be recipients of 2022 Career Assistance Awards. Announced today by Board Chair Penny Van Horn and Elizabeth Buccheri, Artistic and Awards Committee Chair, the recipients comprise seven new awardees and 11 whose work in the field has been recognized with the award previously.
The 2022 recipients of The Sir Georg Solti Career Assistance Award have experience on both the concert and operatic stages, many both nationally and abroad, and have all demonstrated a community-oriented outlook in their work, whether it be through the education, repertoire, or industry-supportive fronts.
Ms. Van Horn stated, “It is our pleasure to announce the 2022 Career Assistance Award recipients. This season, selecting recipients was a thrilling challenge. All the applicants showed dedication and passion for their craft and an intention to forge a career along the lines of the late Sir Georg Solti. But, equally important, across the board all demonstrated an intent towards positive change for the continued growth of the classical music field, whether through creative and diverse programming, innovative projects, or bringing attention to the field through blogs, lectures and other projects.
“It is my pleasure to announce Tiffany Chang, Maurice Cohn, Nathaniel Efthimiou, Kevin Fitzgerald, Taichi Fukumara, Chelsea Gallo, Keitaro Harada, Robert Kahn, Farkhad Khudyev, Louis Lohraseb, Francois Lopez-Ferrer, Benjamin Manis, Stephen Mulligan, Tristan Rais-Sherman, Michael Repper, Matthew Straw, William Walker, and Dean Whiteside. Congratulations to you all, and we look forward to watching your careers grow.”
Ms. Buccheri added, “The Artistic and Awards Committee is very diligent in our research. The positive feedback received for each musician reinforces their work in the field. We cannot wait to see where your musical passion takes you. Congratulations!”
About The Solti Foundation U.S.
Entering its twenty-first year of assisting outstanding young U.S. conductors to further develop their talent and careers, The Solti Foundation U.S. is the foremost organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to helping young conductors.
Established in 2000 to honor the memory of the legendary conductor Sir Georg Solti by lending significant support to career-ready young American musicians, in 2004, the Foundation concentrated the focus of its award program to solely assist talented young American conductors early in their professional careers (its original mission was of a more general arts nature). Since then, it has awarded over one million dollars through grants and residencies to American conductors.
The Foundation endeavors to seek out those musicians who have chosen to follow a path similar to that followed by Sir Georg himself. In keeping with the spirit of Sir Georg’s active approach to his career, young conductors must apply to be considered for the awards.
While dedicated to identifying and assisting young conductors early on, the Foundation is also concerned with the long-term development of its award recipients, continuing to offer support and maintaining a constant interest in their growth and achievements.
The Foundation is currently the only American Foundation to grant these kinds of awards each year to young American conductors. Citizens or permanent residents of the United States who are career-ready artists in the field of conducting are eligible to apply.
Applicants for all Solti Foundation U.S. awards must be able to demonstrate that he/she is developing a career as a symphonic / operatic conductor. All applications from The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award are considered for a Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award. Applications are reviewed by an awards committee comprised of a panel of professionals with broad musical and conducting experience. The Foundation reserves the right to withhold a grant in any given year if the Awards Committee does not find suitable applicants in one or more of the various award categories.
For further details on The Solti Foundation U.S., its past awardees, their biographical information, the Foundation’s newsletter, as well as guidelines for the 2023 Awards, and a downloadable application form, please visit the Foundation’s website at: www.soltifoundation.us.