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Welcome, Alexander Shelley!
Pacific Symphony audiences (and yours truly) have already been thrilled by concerts conducted by Alexander Shelley. Now he embarks on his inaugural season as the orchestra’s Artistic & Music Director.
Shelley comes from an impressive musical family. He is the son of pianist and conductor Howard Shelley, one of the most recorded artists in the world, and pianist Hilary Macnamara. Alexander began playing the piano as a toddler and later started on the cello. He studied cello and conducting in Germany and gained widespread attention when he was unanimously awarded first prize at the 2005 Leeds Conductors Competition, with the press describing him as “the most exciting and gifted young conductor to have taken this highly prestigious award.”
During his tenure with Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra the ensemble was praised as “an orchestra transformed… hungry, bold, and unleashed.” He also served as Principal Associate Conductor of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Chief Conductor of the Nürnberger Symphoniker, with acclaimed performances in both positions.
Shelley’s conducting technique has been described as “immaculate, everything crystal clear” with “a precision, distinction, and beauty of gesture.” His father says, “When I listen to Alexander’s performances, I am very impressed by the beauty of sound, the taut ensemble and feeling of structure that he manages to produce with whatever orchestra he happens to be conducting.”
You can see that immaculate conducting technique in this performance with Pacific Symphony:
Shelley’s deep devotion to conducting is reflected in this statement: “I believe that an orchestra represents the very best of human collaboration – individual brilliance, dedication and responsibility at the service of a greater whole. It is a living, breathing organism expressing the rhythm, melody, harmony and dissonance of life like nothing else.”
Alexander Shelley is joined by violinist Joshua Bell for Pacific Symphony’s opening night celebration on September 24. He opens the orchestra’s Classics season on October 1-3 with Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection.”
Join me for a live broadcast of the October 2nd concert at 8pm on Classical California.
