Angus McPherson, Limelight Magazine, July 11th 2018
Swiss-Australian conductor Elena Schwarz is one of four participants selected for the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 2018/2019 Dudamel Fellowship Program. The program will see her conduct the orchestra in Brahms’ First Symphony at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in November and December this year. Schwarz joins three other conductors – Nuno Coelho from Portugal, Stephen Mulligan from the USA and Jesús Uzcátegui from Venezuela – in the program that was first launched by Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Music Director Gustavo Dudamel in 2009.
“The most important and fulfilling part of my work is to mentor extraordinary young people,” said Dudamel. “On behalf of the LA Phil, I welcome these four outstanding young conductors into the program and look forward to helping them become their best, as both musicians and people.”
The Fellows will work alongside Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic musicians, as well as visiting artists and conductors.
Schwarz – who was last year appointed Assistant Conductor with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra under Marko Letonja and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra under Asher Fisch – told Limelight it was wonderful to be selected for the Dudamel Fellowship in LA. “I feel honoured and grateful to have been selected for this unique opportunity,” she said. “I’m looking forward to being inspired by Gustavo Dudamel, visiting artists and the musicians of the LA Philharmonic. The programming in Los Angeles is varied and includes many new commissions, so I’m excited to experience such a creative and innovative musical environment.”
“Having worked in Europe and Australia, the fellowship is a great way to get to know the orchestral culture in the US and experience how the orchestras interact and serve their community,” Schwarz said.
“Over the past nine years, alumni of this program have gone on to accomplish amazing things in their careers,” Dudamel said. “I have no doubt this exceptional group will go on to do the same.”