Teenager to conduct the Seattle Symphony
Source: Agencies |
January 12, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
BRITISH teenager Alexander Prior has taken up the baton at the Seattle Symphony and been named assistant to guest conductors from January to July this year.
This is the first professional appointment for 17-year-old Prior, a conductor and composer, who made his British conducting debut with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican in March 2007 and has conducted major orchestras in Europe.
"Serving on the conducting staff of a major orchestra is a key professional development opportunity for young conductors, although most are not given the opportunity at such a young age," the Seattle Symphony said.
British-born Prior, who is the great-great-grandson of the famous Russian actor and theater director Constantin Stanislavski, started playing the piano aged three, was composing by eight, and has just completed his fourth year at the St Petersburg Conservatory.
Prior is known to television audiences in Britain after appearing as a judge in a three-part TV series, "The World's Greatest Musical Prodigies," to find the world's most talented young musicians.
As a composer, he has written more than 40 works including symphonies, operas and a requiem. In 2008, the official premiere of his ballet "Mowgli", based on Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book," was held in Moscow.
However, not everybody is impressed.
"We should forgive this young conductor his overblown ideas - but if he doesn't grow up soon he could end up just another infant phenomenon," wrote Tom Service, a music critic with The Guardian newspaper.
This is the first professional appointment for 17-year-old Prior, a conductor and composer, who made his British conducting debut with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican in March 2007 and has conducted major orchestras in Europe.
"Serving on the conducting staff of a major orchestra is a key professional development opportunity for young conductors, although most are not given the opportunity at such a young age," the Seattle Symphony said.
British-born Prior, who is the great-great-grandson of the famous Russian actor and theater director Constantin Stanislavski, started playing the piano aged three, was composing by eight, and has just completed his fourth year at the St Petersburg Conservatory.
Prior is known to television audiences in Britain after appearing as a judge in a three-part TV series, "The World's Greatest Musical Prodigies," to find the world's most talented young musicians.
As a composer, he has written more than 40 works including symphonies, operas and a requiem. In 2008, the official premiere of his ballet "Mowgli", based on Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book," was held in Moscow.
However, not everybody is impressed.
"We should forgive this young conductor his overblown ideas - but if he doesn't grow up soon he could end up just another infant phenomenon," wrote Tom Service, a music critic with The Guardian newspaper.
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