Andrew Gourlay announced as Music Director of Orquesta Sinfonica de Castilla y Leon

Andrew Gourlay, hailed by the Guardian as “a star in the ascendant”, has been named as Music Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León (OSCyL) in Valladolid. The 32-year-old conductor will take up the appointment in January 2016, filling a position formerly held by Lionel Bringuier. His appointment flows naturally from the success of his work over the past two seasons as the Spanish orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor.

“The Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León is a first-class international ensemble,” comments Andrew Gourlay. “I was delighted when they asked me to become their Music Director. My first season coincides with the orchestra’s 25th anniversary, which will be a time for looking forward and building on their remarkable achievements. They have given me so much free rein when it comes to programming and are determined to present concerts that are compelling, where risks can be taken and also where I can perform those works that really mean something to me. I believe the orchestra is genuinely adventurous. They have terrific spirit as well as being an outstanding group of musicians. The variety of work they do is so rewarding and I am convinced that this adds to the intensity of their performances.”

While Gourlay’s first season as Music Director has yet to be announced, it is certain to include a diverse range of repertoire and offer audiences fresh and exciting programmes. His final season as the OSCyL’s Principal Guest Conductor, opening with a concert that features Stravinsky’s Jeu de Cartes and Suite No.2 alongside Mahler’s Rückert Lieder and Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances, reflects his bold programming instincts. It also sets a clear marker for the future course of concert planning when he becomes Music Director next year.

Andrew Gourlay made his debut with the OSCyL in 2011, following his first prize-winning performance in the Cadaques International Conducting Competition. He was instantly struck by the orchestra’s responsiveness and inspired by the rapport that soon developed between them. Their relationship has deepened since he succeeded Vasily Petrenko as Principal Guest Conductor in September 2014. “It is always a pleasure to perform in the orchestra’s home, the Auditorio Miguel Delibes in Valladolid, which has such great acoustics. It’s a wonderful place in which to explore works. Because the orchestra was only established in 1991, there are so many of my favourite works that it has yet to perform. The prospect of working with those fantastic musicians, for whom I have enormous respect, on pieces that the orchestra has never played before is thrilling. I look forward to engaging our audiences with the music that really moves me and about which I feel such a strong connection.”

 

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