The Hall Announces The Siemens Hall International Conductors Competition

The Hallé has announced the launch of an international conductors competition with Siemens AG, a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality and reliability for more than 170 years. Commencing on Thursday 20th February 2020, the competition will take place over three days, with the winner being announced on the evening of Saturday 22nd February 2020.

The inaugural Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition will recognise the talents of one emerging conductor with a two-year engagement as Assistant Conductor for the Hallé, during which they will develop their skills under the mentorship of the Hallé's Music Director Sir Mark Elder CH CBE. The position of Hallé Assistant Conductor is a prestigious role for talented young conductors, having previously been held by Edward Gardner, Andrew Gourlay, Ewa Strusi?ska and Jamie Phillips over the past 17 years. In addition to leading the Hallé Youth Orchestra during their tenure, the winning conductor will receive a cash prize of £15,000 and the opportunity to establish themselves on the world stage through guest conducting appearances.

The Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition builds upon a remarkable partnership between the Hallé and Siemens that has been developed over the last two decades. Creating links between engineering and music, Siemens and the Hallé have not only brought classical music to Manchester audiences, they have collaborated on delivering a variety of education and community outreach projects that engage children and support communities throughout the North of England.

This new element to the Siemens Hallé partnership will elevate the Hallé's Assistant Conductorship to an international scale. John Summers, Chief Executive of the Hallé: "Since its founding in 2002, the Hallé's Assistant Conductorship has developed a track record for impacting the lives of rising stars, many of whom have gone on to great commercial and critical success. We are delighted to be working with Siemens to extend this opportunity to global audiences, bringing the very best and brightest musical talent to Manchester."

Stephan Frucht, Artistic Director Siemens Arts Program: "Conducting an orchestra is an emblematic challenge for any kind of modern leadership. Siemens is proud to link the best talents not only in research and development but also in other creative fields."

Serving as the judging panel are Sir Mark Elder CH CBE, Music Director of the Hallé; Professor Dr.Stephan Frucht, Artistic Director of the Siemens Arts Programme; John Summers, Chief Executive of the Hallé; Carola Reul, Senior Project Manager at the Orchestral Department of the Konzertdirektion Schmid; and Geoffrey Owen, Head of Artistic Planning for the Hallé.

Among the unique elements of the Competition is the inclusion of a digital challenge, during which semi-finalists will be invited to engage in a task that integrates motion technology into the conducting process. The exercise will test how each candidate adapts to unusual situations, and the technology developed will ultimately have lasting benefits for the Hallé's education and outreach initiatives.

Juergen Maier, Chief Executive Siemens UK commented; "This competition takes our work with the Hallé on to an international stage. Over the past two decades we have collaborated to bring engineering and music to life through innovative projects; delivering to local communities and fostering opportunities to work together on leadership, employee engagement and wellbeing. This unique opportunity highlights the diversity and culture we are so proud of in Manchester and we are delighted to be a part of it."

The inaugural Siemens Hallé International Conductors Competition will take place in Manchester at Hallé St Peter's from Thursday 20th - Saturday 22nd February 2020. Applications from around the world are invited from Wednesday 1st May 2019 until Monday 1st July 2019, and a short list of semi-finalists will be announced in September 2019. The winner will be announced on the evening of Saturday 22nd February 2020.

For more information, visit https://www.conductors-competition.com/

Founded by pianist and conductor Sir Charles Hallé in 1858, The Hallé sits at the heart of Manchester and shares the values of accessibility, education, ambition and excellence that has established this city as a world-class cultural centre. Today, under the direction of Sir Mark Elder CH CBE, the Hallé celebrates its 161st season, offering 70 concerts a year at The Bridgewater Hall and giving over 40 performances annually at venues throughout Britain. Its distinguished history of acclaimed performances also includes televised concerts, radio broadcasts and international tours for which the Hallé has received many accolades, most notably from the Royal Philharmonic Society and the South Bank Awards. In addition to our work on stage, we are proud to promote the widest range of education activity of any orchestra in the U.K., serving more than 70,000 individuals of all ages. Further, our large variety of Ensembles-a symphony choir, youth, children's and training choirs and a youth orchestra-offering high-level training and performance opportunities to talented children, youth and adults throughout the region. Through all of its offerings, the Hallé plays an integral role in the civic and cultural life of Greater Manchester and indeed beyond. To learn more, visit https://www.halle.co.uk.

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