Colburn School and SF Symphony Reveal Two New Salonen Conducting Fellows

Conductors Elias Peter Brown and Aleksandra Melaniuk have been selected by Esa-Pekka Salonen to join the San Francisco Symphony conducting staff in the 2023–24 season as an extension of their work as Salonen Fellows in the Colburn School Conservatory of Music’s Negaunee Conducting Program. Brown was assistant conductor for the San Francisco Symphony’s Opening Night Gala and All San Francisco concerts in September, and Melaniuk will begin her work with the Orchestra in January.  

Esa-Pekka Salonen joined the Colburn School faculty in 2018 to lead and develop the Negaunee Conducting Program, a course of study in the school’s Conservatory of Music for a small, select group of young conductors. The Salonen Fellows develop their craft and nurture their talent through personal mentorship from Salonen, gaining significant real-world podium experience on and off campus to prepare them for professional careers. As part of their fellowship roles, they will serve as an assistant conductor to Salonen for several of his programs with the San Francisco Symphony during the 2023–24 season.  

In addition to their work with the SF Symphony, throughout the program, the Fellows will study with Salonen at the Colburn School and serve as preparatory conductors for the flagship Colburn Orchestra. In his role as faculty at Colburn, Salonen will conduct the Colburn Orchestra at The Soroya on November 4, 2023, as part of its annual performance series. The program includes Elizabeth Ogonek’s Moondog and is part of the California Festival: A Celebration of New Music. Other works on the program include Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 with soloist Benett Tsai, and Brahms’ Symphony No. 4. 

Elias Peter Brown and Aleksandra Melaniuk also join the roster of Colburn Artists, a unique in-house management program for Colburn students on the cusp of professional careers. Created in order to provide guidance and support during the critical transition from the conservatory environment to a performance career, the Colburn Artists program is designed to prepare students to work with industry leaders and artist managers. In a supportive atmosphere linked closely with their individual performance studies, they receive personalized career advice and training, including guidance on building relationships with presenters, orchestras, and world-class musicians; developing repertoire; interview preparation; and creating a polished image and online presence. 

Former Salonen Fellows include Kyle Dickson, who was appointed Assistant Conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Conductor of the Memphis Symphony Youth Orchestra; Ross Jamie Collins, who was appointed Conductor-in-Residence of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, is currently a Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and signed to the roster of HarrisonParrott management; and Molly Turner, who was named Conducting Fellow of the New World Symphony. 

The Colburn School conducting program is made possible by The Negaunee Foundation, created in 1987 to celebrate and support the arts and cultural institutions.