Alexander Shelley
Encyclopedia
Alexander Shelley is an English
conductor
.
OBE, mother Hilary Macnamara) and is chief conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra. Shelley began playing the piano as a child and subsequently studied cello with Timothy Hugh, Steven Doane and Johannes Goritzki at the Royal College of Music
and at the Robert Schumann Hochschule
, Düsseldorf respectively. Master-classes with Rostropovich, Janos Starker
and Aldo Parisot
led him to France, Italy and North America. He was a member of the World Orchestra for Peace during the 2003 tour with Valery Gergiev
. He studied conducting with Professor Thomas Gabrisch in Düsseldorf and worked closely with Yan-Pascal Tortelier as his assistant conductor, among others with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
In 2001 he founded the Schumann Camerata, a chamber orchestra with whom he has since given over 80 concerts, including a high-profile tour of 11 Russian cities culminating in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire. In 2005 Shelley conceived the "440Hz" project,an innovative series of concerts involving prominent German television and stage personalities, in a major initiative to attract young adults to the concert hall. The second edition of 440 Hz was completed in 2008. Guest artists have included Konrad Beikircher, Gotz Alsmann&Band, Die Wise Guys, Blank&Jones, BASTA, Ensemble Six, Miki, Curse, Reen, Mellow Mark, Ono, Chima, Marlies Petersen and Ralf Bauer.
Unanimously awarded first prize in the 2005 Leeds Conductors Competition
, Shelley was described in the press as "the most exciting and gifted young conductor to have taken this highly prestigious award. His conducting technique is immaculate, everything crystal clear and a tool to his inborn musicality." (Yorkshire Post)
Following the competition Shelley quickly established himself on both the national and international music circuit. During recent seasons Alexander Shelley's UK appearances have featured the BBC Philharmonic
at the BBC Proms in 2006 and the inaugural Manchester International Festival
in 2007, the Britten Sinfonia at the BBC Proms in 2007, The Philharmonia Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
, BBC National Orchestra of Wales
, BBC Symphony Orchestra
, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony, English Chamber Orchestra
, Northern Sinfonia
, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
and London Mozart Players
.
In Scandinavia he has conducted, among others, the Swedish Radio Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra
, Danish Radio Sinfonietta and Odense Symphony and appeared in 2009 for the fourth consecutive year at the Tivoli Festival. Following his professional opera debut with The Merry Widow for Royal Danish Opera in 2008, he was re-invited to conduct a new production of Gounod's Romeo and Juliet in Copenhagen in Spring 2011 and will conduct a new production of Don Giovanni at Opera North
in 2012.
Following regular guest engagements in Germany including the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, MDR Leipzig and Hamburg Symphony, Shelley took up the post of Principal Conductor of Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra in September 2009 on a four year contract.
Alongside his continuing concert projects with Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Alexander Shelley became, from 2009, artistic director of their new and ground-breaking Zukunftslabor project. This award-winning series aims to build a lasting relationship between the orchestra and a new generation of concert-goers through grass-roots engagement and involvement with young audiences as well as exciting and unusual programming concepts.
Highglights of the 2009/2010 season includeded his North American debut with the National Arts Centre Orchestra
in Ottawa and first visits to the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre National de Bordeaux. In the summer of 2010 he returned for the second year running to conduct the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra in Caracas
, Venezuela
. During 2009 he made three visits to Australia for a tour with the Australian Youth Orchestra, a tour of the 'regional' orchestras (including The Queensland Orchestra) and a re-invitation to Melbourne Symphony.
Alexander Shelley is the Dance4Life
Ambassador for Germany.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
.
Biography
Alexander Shelley is an English conductor and cellist born in 1979 into a family of musicians (father Howard ShelleyHoward Shelley
Howard Gordon Shelley OBE is a British pianist and conductor. He was educated at Highgate School and the Royal College of Music...
OBE, mother Hilary Macnamara) and is chief conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra. Shelley began playing the piano as a child and subsequently studied cello with Timothy Hugh, Steven Doane and Johannes Goritzki at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
and at the Robert Schumann Hochschule
Robert Schumann Hochschule
The Robert-Schumann-Hochschule is a college for music studies on university level in Düsseldorf, Germany.-History:...
, Düsseldorf respectively. Master-classes with Rostropovich, Janos Starker
János Starker
János Starker |Kingdom of Hungary]]) is a Hungarian-American cellist. Since 1958 he has taught at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he holds the title of Distinguished Professor.- Child prodigy :...
and Aldo Parisot
Aldo Parisot
Aldo Simoes Parisot is a Brazilian-born American cellist and cello teacher, was formerly a member of the Juilliard School faculty, and currently is serving as a professor of music at the Yale School of Music....
led him to France, Italy and North America. He was a member of the World Orchestra for Peace during the 2003 tour with Valery Gergiev
Valery Gergiev
Valery Abisalovich Gergiev is a Russian conductor and opera company director. He is general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.- Early life :Gergiev,...
. He studied conducting with Professor Thomas Gabrisch in Düsseldorf and worked closely with Yan-Pascal Tortelier as his assistant conductor, among others with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
In 2001 he founded the Schumann Camerata, a chamber orchestra with whom he has since given over 80 concerts, including a high-profile tour of 11 Russian cities culminating in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire. In 2005 Shelley conceived the "440Hz" project,an innovative series of concerts involving prominent German television and stage personalities, in a major initiative to attract young adults to the concert hall. The second edition of 440 Hz was completed in 2008. Guest artists have included Konrad Beikircher, Gotz Alsmann&Band, Die Wise Guys, Blank&Jones, BASTA, Ensemble Six, Miki, Curse, Reen, Mellow Mark, Ono, Chima, Marlies Petersen and Ralf Bauer.
Unanimously awarded first prize in the 2005 Leeds Conductors Competition
Leeds Conductors Competition
The Leeds Conductors Competition, is a music competition for young British conductors in the city of Leeds.-History:The competition was founded by Michael Johnson of the Leeds City Council and David Lloyd-Jones, Founder Director of Opera North with the support of Sir Charles Groves. The competition...
, Shelley was described in the press as "the most exciting and gifted young conductor to have taken this highly prestigious award. His conducting technique is immaculate, everything crystal clear and a tool to his inborn musicality." (Yorkshire Post)
Following the competition Shelley quickly established himself on both the national and international music circuit. During recent seasons Alexander Shelley's UK appearances have featured the BBC Philharmonic
BBC Philharmonic
The BBC Philharmonic is a British broadcasting symphony orchestra based at Media City UK, Salford, England. It is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The orchestra's primary concert venue is the Bridgewater Hall....
at the BBC Proms in 2006 and the inaugural Manchester International Festival
Manchester International Festival
The Manchester International Festival is an international cultural festival of original new work, held in the English city of Manchester. It is a biennial event, first taking place in June–July 2007, and subsequently recurring in the summers of 2009 and 2011...
in 2007, the Britten Sinfonia at the BBC Proms in 2007, The Philharmonia Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is a broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow, Scotland. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation , it is the oldest full-time professional orchestra in Scotland...
, BBC National Orchestra of Wales
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales is a Welsh symphony orchestra and one of the BBC's five professional orchestras. The BBC NOW is the only professional symphony orchestra organisation in Wales, occupying a dual role as both a broadcasting orchestra and national orchestra.The BBC NOW has its...
, BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony, English Chamber Orchestra
English Chamber Orchestra
The English Chamber Orchestra is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and the ECO Ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall...
, Northern Sinfonia
Northern Sinfonia
The Northern Sinfonia is a British chamber orchestra, based initially in Newcastle upon Tyne, and currently in Gateshead. For the first 46 years of its history, the orchestra gave the bulk of its concerts at the City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2004, the orchestra has been resident at The...
, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is Scotland's national chamber orchestra, based in Edinburgh. One of Scotland’s five National Performing Arts Companies, the SCO performs throughout Scotland, including annual tours of the Scottish Highlands and Islands and South of Scotland. The SCO appears...
and London Mozart Players
London Mozart Players
The London Mozart Players is a British chamber orchestra founded in 1949. The LMP is the longest-established chamber orchestra in the United Kingdom whose performances and recordings focus largely on the core repertoire from the Classical era...
.
In Scandinavia he has conducted, among others, the Swedish Radio Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra
Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra
The Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra , also known as the Tivoli Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra which both serves as Danish Regional Orchestra for the island of Zealand and, for the summer season while the Tivoli Gardens are open, as resident orchestra in the Tivoli Concert...
, Danish Radio Sinfonietta and Odense Symphony and appeared in 2009 for the fourth consecutive year at the Tivoli Festival. Following his professional opera debut with The Merry Widow for Royal Danish Opera in 2008, he was re-invited to conduct a new production of Gounod's Romeo and Juliet in Copenhagen in Spring 2011 and will conduct a new production of Don Giovanni at Opera North
Opera North
Opera North is an English opera company based in Leeds. The company's home theatre is the Leeds Grand Theatre, but it also presents regular seasons in several other cities, at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, the Lowry Centre, Salford Quays and the Theatre Royal, Newcastle...
in 2012.
Following regular guest engagements in Germany including the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, MDR Leipzig and Hamburg Symphony, Shelley took up the post of Principal Conductor of Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra in September 2009 on a four year contract.
Alongside his continuing concert projects with Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Alexander Shelley became, from 2009, artistic director of their new and ground-breaking Zukunftslabor project. This award-winning series aims to build a lasting relationship between the orchestra and a new generation of concert-goers through grass-roots engagement and involvement with young audiences as well as exciting and unusual programming concepts.
Highglights of the 2009/2010 season includeded his North American debut with the National Arts Centre Orchestra
National Arts Centre Orchestra
The National Arts Centre Orchestra is an orchestra in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's capital. It is a classically-sized ensemble currently conducted by Pinchas Zukerman.-Description:Since 1998, Pinchas Zukerman has been the Music Director. Mario Bernardi C.C...
in Ottawa and first visits to the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra is a Dutch symphony orchestra based in Rotterdam. Its primary venue is the concert hall De Doelen. The RPhO is considered one of the Netherlands' two principal orchestras of international standing, second to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam...
, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre National de Bordeaux. In the summer of 2010 he returned for the second year running to conduct the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. During 2009 he made three visits to Australia for a tour with the Australian Youth Orchestra, a tour of the 'regional' orchestras (including The Queensland Orchestra) and a re-invitation to Melbourne Symphony.
Alexander Shelley is the Dance4Life
Dance4Life
dance4life is an innovative, international initiative designed to inspire, mobilise and unite young people to push back the spread of HIV/AIDS...
Ambassador for Germany.
United Kingdom
- BBC PhilharmonicBBC PhilharmonicThe BBC Philharmonic is a British broadcasting symphony orchestra based at Media City UK, Salford, England. It is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The orchestra's primary concert venue is the Bridgewater Hall....
at the BBC Proms in 2006 - Inaugural Manchester International FestivalManchester International FestivalThe Manchester International Festival is an international cultural festival of original new work, held in the English city of Manchester. It is a biennial event, first taking place in June–July 2007, and subsequently recurring in the summers of 2009 and 2011...
in 2007 - Britten SinfoniaBritten SinfoniaBritten Sinfonia is a chamber orchestra ensemble based in Cambridge, UK. It was created in 1992, following an initiative from Eastern Arts and a number of key figures including Nicholas Cleobury, who recognised the need for an orchestra in the East of England. It is a flexible ensemble composed of...
at the BBC Proms in 2007 - BBC Scottish Symphony OrchestraBBC Scottish Symphony OrchestraThe BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is a broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow, Scotland. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation , it is the oldest full-time professional orchestra in Scotland...
- Bournemouth Symphony OrchestraBournemouth Symphony OrchestraThe Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is an English orchestra. Originally based in Bournemouth, the BSO moved its offices to the adjacent town of Poole in 1979....
- English Chamber OrchestraEnglish Chamber OrchestraThe English Chamber Orchestra is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and the ECO Ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall...
- Northern SinfoniaNorthern SinfoniaThe Northern Sinfonia is a British chamber orchestra, based initially in Newcastle upon Tyne, and currently in Gateshead. For the first 46 years of its history, the orchestra gave the bulk of its concerts at the City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2004, the orchestra has been resident at The...
- Scottish Chamber OrchestraScottish Chamber OrchestraThe Scottish Chamber Orchestra is Scotland's national chamber orchestra, based in Edinburgh. One of Scotland’s five National Performing Arts Companies, the SCO performs throughout Scotland, including annual tours of the Scottish Highlands and Islands and South of Scotland. The SCO appears...
- London Mozart PlayersLondon Mozart PlayersThe London Mozart Players is a British chamber orchestra founded in 1949. The LMP is the longest-established chamber orchestra in the United Kingdom whose performances and recordings focus largely on the core repertoire from the Classical era...
- BBC National Orchestra of WalesBBC National Orchestra of WalesThe BBC National Orchestra of Wales is a Welsh symphony orchestra and one of the BBC's five professional orchestras. The BBC NOW is the only professional symphony orchestra organisation in Wales, occupying a dual role as both a broadcasting orchestra and national orchestra.The BBC NOW has its...
- Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
- City of Birmingham Symphony OrchestraCity of Birmingham Symphony OrchestraThe City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Orchestra's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock...
(CBSO) - Orchestra of Opera NorthOrchestra of Opera NorthThe Orchestra of Opera North is the orchestra that plays for the English opera company, Opera North....
- Oxford University Orchestra
Germany
- Hamburg Symphony Orchestra
- MDR Symphony OrchestraMDR Symphony OrchestraThe MDR Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest Radio orchestras in the world and the oldest in Germany. It was founded in Leipzig, Germany in 1923 and therefore 9 months earlier than the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra...
Leipzig - Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
- The Deutsche KammerphilharmonieDeutsche KammerphilharmonieThe Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen is a chamber orchestra based in Bremen, Germany.-History:...
Bremen - Deutsche Radio Philarmonie
- Nürnberger Symphoniker (Principal Conductor)
Italy
- Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova
- Orchestra Di Roma E Del Lazio
- Orchestra Di Padova E Del Veneto
Scandinavia
- Swedish Radio Symphony OrchestraSwedish Radio Symphony OrchestraSwedish Radio Symphony Orchestra is a radio orchestra based in Stockholm, Sweden, and affiliated with Sveriges Radio . The orchestra broadcasts concerts on the Swedish Radio-P2 network....
- Helsingborg Symphony
- Copenhagen Philharmonic OrchestraCopenhagen Philharmonic OrchestraThe Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra , also known as the Tivoli Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra which both serves as Danish Regional Orchestra for the island of Zealand and, for the summer season while the Tivoli Gardens are open, as resident orchestra in the Tivoli Concert...
- Danish Radio Sinfonietta
- Odense Symphony
- Royal Stockholm Philharmonic OrchestraRoyal Stockholm Philharmonic OrchestraThe Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra is a Swedish orchestra based in Stockholm.The orchestra was founded in 1902 as the Stockholm Concert Society . The orchestra became a permanent ensemble in 1914. Since 1926, it has been based in the Stockholm Concert Hall...
- Royal Danish Opera in 2008 withThe Merry Widow
Australasia
- Melbourne Symphony OrchestraMelbourne Symphony OrchestraThe Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Melbourne, Australia. It has 100 permanent musicians. Melbourne has the longest continuous history of orchestral music of any Australian city and the MSO is the oldest professional orchestra in Australia...
- New Zealand Symphony OrchestraNew Zealand Symphony OrchestraThe New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of New Zealand. It is a crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, with 90 full-time players....
- Western Australia Symphony Orchestra
- The Queensland Orchestra
- The Tasmanian Symphony OrchestraTasmanian Symphony OrchestraThe Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is the smallest of the six orchestras established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation .-Activities:...
- Orchestra VictoriaOrchestra VictoriaOrchestra Victoria is an orchestra based in Victoria, Australia. In addition to its own concert and education events, it is the performance partner of the following major performing arts companies: The Australian Ballet, Opera Australia and Victorian Opera...
- Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra
- Australian Youth OrchestraAustralian Youth OrchestraThe Australian Youth Orchestra is an Australian organisation for young musicians. It operates the flagship Youth Orchestra as well as Camerata Australia, Young Australian Concert Artists and Young Symphonists. It also runs several other activities including master classes, outreach programmes and...