Gemma New
Gemma New (born 27 December 1986) is a New Zealand-born music director and conductor.
Gemma New | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | Wellington, New Zealand | 27 December 1986
Occupation(s) | Conductor, composer |
Instruments | Violin, piano |
Associated acts | Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Dallas Symphony Orchestra |
Biography
Born into a musical family,[1][2] New began violin studies at age 5, and piano lessons at age 8.[3] By age 12, she was playing in a youth orchestra in Wellington.[4][5] As a teenager, she conducted the Christchurch Youth Orchestra.
New read physics, mathematics, and music at the University of Canterbury, from which she graduated with a degree in music.[6] She later earned a graduate degree in music from Baltimore, Maryland's Peabody Institute.[3]
New founded and directed the Maryland music collective Lunar Ensemble, with which she has premiered 26 compositions.[7] New was assistant conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra from 2011 to 2016.[8][9] In the 2014-2015 season, she was a Dudamel Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.[3] For 2014, she was a Kurt Masur conducting fellow.
In May 2015, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra named New as its next music director, the first female conductor ever named to the post.[3] This appointment marked New's first music directorship. Her first performance in the post was in February 2016.[1] In May 2017, the Hamilton Philharmonic extended New's contract as music director through the 2020-2021 season.[10]
In June 2016, New was appointed resident conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) and music director of the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra .[11] In September 2018, New directed the opening concerts of the SLSO's 2018-2019 season, the first female conductor ever to do so.[12] In October 2018, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of New as its next principal guest conductor, the first female conductor to hold the title, effective with the 2019-2020 season.[13]
References
- Leonard Turnevicius (7 February 2016). "HPO's new music director makes her debut - and it was worth waiting for". Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- Leonard Turnevicius (18 September 2016). "Snap, crackle and pop: Gemma New and HPO light up Hamilton Place". Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- Samantha Craggs (4 July 2015). "Gemma New of Hamilton Philharmonic is 1 of continent's few female conductors". CBC News. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- Paul Hunter (6 March 2016). "Conductor Gemma New breaking brass ceiling in Steeltown". The Star. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- "Gemma New: Conductor on the rise". Radio New Zealand. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
- Kip Brook (22 July 2014). "Canterbury graduate and rising young conductor". University of Canterbury News. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- Kevin Coughlin (22 June 2014). "Chasing rainbows: Gemma New, Kiwi conductor-turned-Jersey Girl, aims for more NJSO magic at Giralda, June 22". Morristown Green. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- Sarah Bryan Miller (25 August 2016). "Rising Star: SLSO's Gemma New makes music 'a holistic experience'". Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- Ross Amico (5 October 2016). "Classical Music: NJSO performing this weekend". Times of Trenton. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- "HPO extends Gemma New's contract until 2021" (Press release). Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- Sarah Bryan Miller (2 June 2016). "SLSO appoints Gemma New as resident conductor". Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- Sarah Bryan Miller (23 September 2018). "Music review: A great start for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's new season". Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- "Gemma New Named Principal Guest Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra" (Press release). Dallas Symphony Orchestra. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
External links
- Official website of Gemma New
- DR (Danish Radio), Nikolai Malko Conducting Competition, 2012 page on Gemma New
Cultural offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by James Sommerville |
Music Director, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra 2015–present |
Succeeded by incumbent |