NCO is thrilled to be working with the following eleven conductors during 2020. Each of them brings a wide breadth of skills from their appointments as conductors, musicians and creatives, which will enhance the experience of the young musicians in our programme.
Jonathan Bloxham
Jonathan is established as one of the leading British conductors of his generation. He was Assistant Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestras from 2016-2018 and is Artistic Director of Northern Chords Festival. Last year, Jonathan worked as Assistant Conductor at Glyndebourne, and travelled to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong to conduct for the China National Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra respectively. Jonathan has been conducting for NCO since 2017, and he is also a proud alumnus of the programme – he was a member of NCO from 1999 to 2001!
Chloé van Soeterstède
Chloé has worked as Assistant Conductor with the BBC Philharmonic, the Halle Orchestra, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. In 2019, Chloé was awarded the title of ‘Fellow’ by Marin Alsop, as part of the Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship. This is Chloé’s third year of working with NCO, which aligns with her passion for music education. She says, “Music education is important to develop another sense and discover our inner self. We never stop”.
Natalia Luis-Bassa
Natalia is a dynamic conductor who has long been a part of NCO’s orchestral learning programme. She is also a record breaker as the first person to obtain a degree in Orchestral Conducting in her native country of Venezuela. Natalia currently holds many titles including Professor of Conducting at the Royal College of Music, Musical Director of the Hallam Sinfonia (Sheffield) and Principal Conductor of the Wellington College Symphony Orchestra. These appointments have all benefited from Natalia’s unique finesse and inspirational techniques.
Alpesh Chauhan
Alpesh Chauhan is Principal Conductor of the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, Parma. Highlights of his career to date include a subscription concert with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre and his BBC Proms debut with the BBC Philharmonic, as well as regular appearances with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra where until 2016 he was Assistant Conductor.
A keen advocate of music education for young people, Alpesh has worked with ensembles such as the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and the symphony orchestras of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Royal Northern College of Music. He was the conductor of the second BBC Ten Pieces film, which brought the world of classical music into secondary schools across the country and received a prestigious BAFTA award. NCO is delighted to be working with Alpesh for the first time in 2020.
Robert Hodge
Robert is a conductor known for his considerable skill, clarity of technique and good rapport with musicians. He devises exciting programmes that are enjoyable and challenging for players and audiences. In the last few seasons, Robert has developed a special relationship with Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, conducting them at venues across the island. He is also Musical Director of Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra and Conductor in Residence at St Albans High School. He also works at the Royal College of Music Junior Department where he conducts the Sinfonia, and he enjoys working with organisations including Malta Youth Orchestra, Oasby Music Group and Benslow Music.
Andrew Morley
Andrew Morley studied conducting and orchestration at Lancaster University and subsequently won the Hertford Scholarship to study with Peter Stark at Trinity College of Music, London. In a career spanning two decades, Andrew has worked with distinguished soloists, renowned film composers and conductors such as Barry Wadsworth, Ed Gardner and NCO’s President, Sir Simon Rattle. Andrew is Musical Director with St. Paul’s Sinfonia, Essex Chamber Orchestra, BBC Elstree Concert Band. He is the Artistic Director at European Youth Music Week.
Verónica Urrego
Verónica is from Venezuela and studied violin at El Sistema music programme, where she obtained her Bachelor in Music. She held teaching posts in different cities around her country and was invited to deliver teaching training programmes at different conservatoires. She now lives in the UK where she works at Sistema Scotland as an upper string tutor and conductor. She is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Learning and Teaching in the Performing Arts at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and has been associated with National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain as both a tutor and a conductor for many years.
Arlene Macfarlane
After studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Arlene moved to Cardiff to work as the Sub Principal Trombone with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Arlene is currently Musical Director of a Brass Academy and Course Director for the West of Scotland Schools Orchestra Trust. This is Arlene’s first year conducting for NCO, although she has been a well-respected Lower Brass Tutor on our residencies for many years. Arlene believes that music education can “transform lives and provide opportunities that a pupil would otherwise not have access to.”
Caroline Hobbs-Smith
South African flautist and conductor Caroline Hobbs-Smith has always been passionate about youth music and particularly the transformative power of orchestral playing in enriching the lives of young people. In 1989, she was invited to establish the National School of the Arts Orchestra, a musical landmark as the first truly integrated orchestra in the newly emerging democratic South Africa. Since moving to the UK, Caroline has continued to develop her passion for performing, teaching and conducting. She conducts the Oxfordshire Schools’ Symphony Orchestra and the Oxfordshire Youth Flute Choir.
Howard Williams
Howard has conducted many of the leading British and European orchestras. He has conducted at the BBC Proms and at many national and international festivals including Bath, Edinburgh, Leeds, Budapest and Hong Kong. Currently he is Principal Conductor of the Sinfonia of Cambridge and the Choir of the 21st Century. Having been NCO’s first ever guest conductor, Howard is very proud to have maintained an ongoing and rewarding relationship with NCO.
Alex Laing
Alex has a long association with NCO - he played violin in the orchestras from 1988 to 1991, and has been working with our national and regional orchestras since 2011. He is a former Head of Strings at Uppingham School and former professor at the Royal College of Music in the Junior Department. Alex is Artistic Director of Music at the King’s High School in Warwick and the founder and Artistic Director of the Darwin Ensemble Chamber Orchestra.
Photo: Jonathan Bloxham conducts the NCO Main Orchestra in August 2019 © Gareth Lowe
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