Former National Youth Band of Great Britain tuba player Ben Gernon has won the prestigious Nestle and Salzburg Young Conductors Award, and with it the opportunity to direct the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra in a Festival concert at the Felsenreitschule later this year.
Latest high profile success
It is the latest high profile success for the 23 year old, who played in the National Youth Band between 2004 and 2008. The final of the event saw three conductors’ direct performances during a weekend of festival concerts, with Ben leading the Camerata Salzburg and pianist Sophie Pacini in works by Peter Maxwell Davies, Mozart and Beethoven.
In addition to his concert prize, he also claimed the prize of €15,000 after beating off the challenge of 81 of the world’s leading conductor’s under the age of 35.
Sir Colin Davis
Ben studied tuba and conducting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under Sir Colin Davis and Martyn Brabbins, and has worked with orchestras from London to Sweden. He made his professional debut with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in the St Magnus Festival, in Orkney in 2011 and has been invited to return to the festival to conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra next year.
In 2012 he won the second prize in the Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition and is now principal conductor of the Southwark Youth Orchestra as well as working with Gustavo Dudamel during his Los Angeles Philharmonic residency at the Barbican in London earlier this year.
Great musicality
Jury Chairman Ingo Metzmacher stated: "The three concerts had a very high level. The jury decided quickly and unambiguously for young Ben Gernon from Great Britain.
His great musicality and his special connection with the orchestra convinced us."
Most important
Artistic Director Alexander Pereira, added: "At the recent award ceremony for the International Opera Awards in London, several experts confirmed to me that the ‘Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award’ is among the most important initiatives for giving young conductors a platform for their later career.
This year, we are delighted that we are able to give Ben Gernon the opportunity to conduct the Prize Winner’s Concert with the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra as part of the Salzburg Festival on August 17th."
His great musicality and his special connection with the orchestra convinced usJury Chairman Ingo Metzmacher
National Youth congratulations
National Youth Band Administrator Philip Biggs also added his congratulations, adding that the seeds of his conducting career may well have first been sown by Bramwell Tovey on a NYBBGB course a few years ago.
He later went on to win the 2009 National Association of Brass Band Conductors, 'Young Conductor of the Year' Competition.
"I’m sure everyone in the banding movement and especially those associated with the National Youth Band is thrilled by hearing about Ben’s wonderful success."
He added: "I recall Bramwell Tovey (who also offered his congratulations to Ben through his Twitter account) giving Ben the opportunity to conduct the band in one of his popular masterclasses when he was a player with the band, so the seeds may have been sown there!"
