FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Nick Dobreff, Manager of Publicity and Community Relations
616.485.3913 (m) – 303.308.2477 (o)
COLORADO SYMPHONY ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF NEW ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
Bertie Baigent joins the Colorado Symphony as Assistant Conductor beginning September 2018
September 10, 2018 – Denver, CO – Following a comprehensive international search and audition process, the Colorado Symphony is proud to announce that Bertie Baigent will join the Colorado Symphony as Assistant Conductor.
Baigent will make his official Colorado Symphony debut during the upcoming 2018/19 season, which begins September 14.
“It’s a privilege to be joining the Colorado Symphony as assistant conductor,” Baigent said. “Throughout the audition and interview process, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the orchestra and felt a strong connection with the musicians. I look forward to exploring Colorado and immersing myself in American music and culture.”
Baigent comes to the Colorado Symphony following prior appointments as musical director of the London Young Sinfonia and the Waterperry Opera Festival.
He graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2016 and received his Master’s in Conducting with Sian Edwards at the Royal Academy of Music, London.
“All of us at the Colorado Symphony are delighted to welcome Bertie Baigent as our new assistant conductor,” Music Director Brett Mitchell said. “Bertie impressed us with his skills on and off the podium during his audition, and we look forward to the contributions he’ll make to both our orchestra and our community.”
Baigent’s experience includes:
· Conducting with the WDR Sinfonie Orchestra, the Gürzenich Orchestra, the Britten Sinfonia, and the London Sinfonietta.
· Receiving the 2017 Royal Academy of Music’s Sir Henry Wood Scholarship and Ernest Read Conducting Prize.
· Training as a cellist and pianist and prize-winning Fellow of the Royal College of Organists.
“The acquisition of a very talented and accomplished young conductor like Bertie is a testament to the strength of our orchestra and the health of our organization as it continues to develop artistically,” Colorado Symphony CEO Jerry Kern said. “We are sure that our audiences and the Denver community will embrace him and enjoy his work on the podium.”
In addition to his work with the Colorado Symphony, Baigent will serve as Principal Guest Conductor for the Denver Young Artists Orchestra where he’ll also conduct master classes and 1-on-1 student mentoring. He will also serve as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Northern Colorado, providing training to musicians at the School of Music.
Baigent’s 2018/19 podium appearances include the Halloween Spooktacular and Youth Concerts throughout the season. For the most current concert information, please visit: https://tickets.coloradosymphony.org/single/EventListing.aspx
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CONTACTS:
For more information or to request interviews, please contact:
Nick Dobreff, Manager of Publicity and Community Relations
ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org – 303.308.2477 (o)
For high-resolution, downloadable images of the Colorado Symphony, contact: ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org
The 2018/19 Colorado Symphony Season is presented by Arrow Electronics and Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. Support also provided by: The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), 9News, United Airlines, and the Colorado Symphony Guild.
TICKETS:
Tickets to Colorado Symphony events are available online at coloradosymphony.org/tickets, by phone at 303.623.7876, and in person at the Boettcher Concert Hall Box Office, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1000 14th Street. The Box Office is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday, noon – 6 p.m.; and two hours prior to each performance.
ABOUT THE COLORADO SYMPHONY
One of the leading orchestras in the United States, the Colorado Symphony Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization performing more than 150 concerts annually at Boettcher Concert Hall in downtown Denver and across Colorado. Led by Music Director Brett Mitchell, the Colorado Symphony is home to eighty full-time musicians, representing more than a dozen nations, and regularly welcomes the most celebrated artists from the world of symphonic music and beyond. In the last year, the Colorado Symphony served nearly 233,000 people attending live performances at concert and non-traditional venues throughout Colorado’s Front Range. In addition, over 265,000 people listen to the Colorado Symphony through Colorado Public Radio’s live broadcasts of classical content featuring concert recordings, in-studio performances of individual musicians and small ensembles, and live streaming of interviews and performances with artists. Recognized as an incubator of innovation, creativity, and excellence, the Colorado Symphony continually expands its reach through education, outreach, and programming. The Colorado Symphony partners with the state’s leading musical artists, cultural organizations, corporations, foundations, sports teams, and individuals to expose diverse audiences to the transformative power of music. To learn more, visit coloradosymphony.org.