New musical director
Victorien Vanoosten will become the new musical and artistic director of the Ensemble Symphonique Neuchâtel as of the 19-20 season. He will succeed Alexander Mayer, who has successfully contributed to the professional and artistic recognition of the ensemble since 2010.
At the end of a competition which attracted 127 applications from all continents, narrowed down to ten for interviews with the selection committee and then to three top candidates for the final, the orchestra gave its clear preference to Victorien Vanoosten. The Foundation Board was able to unanimously ratify the choice of this young conductor of remarkable qualities.
At the age of 34, the young French conductor has a dual career as a pianist and conductor. After graduating from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris and the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, he studied conducting with some of the greatest names: David Zinman, Jorma Panula, Esa-Pekka-Salonen, Alain Altinoglu and Peter Eötvos.
Winner of the Opéra de Marseille competition in 2014, Victorien Vanoosten then became Lawrence Foster's associate conductor. At the same time, he founded his own chamber orchestra Les Solistes, which mixes great works of the repertoire with original formats such as a pocket opera or children's tales.
Noticed by the eminent Daniel Barenboim, he became his first assistant at the Berlin Staatsoper. He still holds this position today. A concert pianist, he has just recorded his first disc of personal orchestral transcriptions for piano, and regularly plays with orchestras while conducting. He has also been chosen by the Philharmonie de Paris to take charge of the Démos orchestras in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
ESN is delighted to welcome Victorien Vanoosten and Mélanie Katsumi-Delbart as its new Executive Director. True to its constant quest for excellence and innovation, ESN will continue to combine the great works of the classical repertoire with new formats and contemporary creations.
Victorien Vanoosten will prepare next season's programming. He will take up his full duties at the start of the 2019 autumn season.
