Jonathon Heyward appointed music director of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has announced the appointment of conductor Jonathon Heyward to the role of music director, becoming the first person of colour to fill the role in the orchestra’s 106-year history. Heyward will take over from current music director Marin Alsop in September 2023 following a season as music director designate.

During his five-year tenure Heyward will work with the senior management team on the orchestra’s artistic strategy. Haywards plans for the BSO’s upcoming repertoire have not yet been announced, but it has been confirmed that he will spend eight weeks with the BSO in his first year, transitioning to a minimum of eleven weeks in subsequent seasons.

The 29-year-old conductor made his BSO debut in March before conducting the orchestra’s Benefit Concert for Ukraine. He said: ‘The Baltimore Symphony’s irresistible artistry, energy and optimism were clear to me from the first moment we rehearsed together earlier this year. We shared a special chemistry then and in the concerts we have given since.’ 

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Heyward originally trained as a cellist and started conducting while still at school. He studied conducting at the Royal Academy of Music and at the Boston Conservatory of Music where he became assistant conductor of the Conservatory’s opera department and of the Boston Opera Collaborative.

He also served as assistant conductor with the Hallé Orchestra and music director of the Hallé Youth Orchestra as well as leading the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain at the BBC Proms in 2021. He became chief conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie in January 2021.

Founded in 1916, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has a strong international reputation with past music directors including Sergiu Comissiona, David Zinman and Yuri Temirkanov. BSO president & CEO, Mark Hanson, said: ‘Jonathon Heyward is the ideal person to serve as the Baltimore Symphony’s next music director due to his deep musicianship, warm personality, exceptional communication skills, innate curiosity, and admirable desire to make symphonic music more accessible and relevant.’

You can find out more about Jonathon Heyward here.

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