The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra today announced that Alpesh Chauhan will be its new assistant conductor.
Having been conducting fellow with the orchestra since December 2013, Chauhan has spent the past year working with the CBSO in rehearsals and on two tours, and with the CBSO Youth Orchestra in rehearsals, receiving mentoring from music director Andris Nelsons among others.
The promotion to assistant conductor will give him the opportunity to attend more CBSO rehearsals and provide general assistance to Nelsons and other conductors working with the orchestra. He will take rehearsals with the CBSO Youth Orchestra this autumn and conduct the CBSO’s Summer Showcase on 25 June 2015.
‘This means a huge deal to me. I have had a great year as conducting fellow and learned so much,’ says Chauhan. ‘Members of the orchestra have been extremely supportive, offering advice whenever they can and it has also been a fantastic opportunity to learn from Andris Nelsons – his mentoring in this role is a real highlight of the past year.’
As well as spending the past year with the CBSO, Chauhan has conducted with the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, Manchester Camerata and Birmingham Contemporary Music Group.
CBSO chief executive Stephen Maddock says: ‘The CBSO is committed to finding and nurturing new talent. Alpesh Chauhan joins the orchestra’s roster of distinguished conductors, including music director Andris Nelsons, principal guest conductor Edward Gardner, associate conductor Michael Seal and chorus director Simon Halsey.’
Chauhan’s assistant conductor role will come to an end when the current concert season finishes in July 2015.
Photo: CBSO