Assistant Conductor appointed for the Sydney Symphony
Jointly initiated and developed by the Sydney Symphony and Symphony Australia, the position offers a young conductor the unique opportunity to work with the Sydney Symphony and its incoming Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser, Vladimir Ashkenazy.
"It is a huge privilege to be appointed Assistant Conductor of the Sydney Symphony. To be granted the opportunity to work closely not only with Vladimir Ashkenazy, but other guest conductors and musicians is a real honour. The musicians of the Sydney Symphony have an enormous depth of experience and knowledge and I'm thoroughly looking forward to learning from them and gaining from their wisdom and guidance. I thank the Sydney Symphony and Mr Ashkenazy for entrusting me with this honoured position," said Carter.
Sydney Symphony Managing Director Libby Christie said: "Following a rigorous interview and audition process we're delighted to announce the appointment of Nicholas Carter as the Sydney Symphony's Assistant Conductor and we are grateful to Symphony Australia for funding the position as part of its ongoing Conductor Development Program.
"By establishing this new opportunity for young conductors such as Nicholas, the Sydney Symphony and Symphony Australia aim to further the training of the next generation of Australian conductors and to set them on a path to successful careers both here in Australia and overseas," said Christie.
The Sydney Symphony's Assistant Conductor role involves learning the orchestra's repertoire, attending rehearsals and performances, working closely with the orchestra and guest artists and assisting the Sydney Symphony's Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor. The role offers the chance to observe the rehearsal and performance procedure of the orchestra and its conductors, an invaluable insight for an aspiring conductor.
Symphony Australia nurtures and develops Australian musical talent with programs for composers, conductors and performers. The Assistant Conductor Program builds upon Symphony Australia's existing Conductor Development Program by giving promising young conductors the opportunity for more intensive individual training with a leading orchestra.
Nicholas Carter graduated from the Faculty of Music, University of Melbourne in 2007, having studied voice and piano. For two years, he was a member of the inaugural Artist Development Program with Victorian Opera, studying with Richard Gill. This saw him conduct productions of Britten's Noye's Fludde, Graeme Dudley's Snow Queen and Mozart's Così fan tutte, as well as assisting and preparing the chorus for a number of other productions. He has also conducted the children's opera productions of Brundibar and The Beggar's Opera for OzOpera.
2008 saw Carter guest conduct performances with Orchestra Victoria as well as ChamberMade Opera's production of The Children's Bach by Andrew Schultz and Glen Perry. He was also co-chorusmaster for performances of The Flying Dutchman and Shostakovich's Symphony No.13 with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Carter has participated in the Symphony Australia Conductor Development courses for a number of years, working with The Queensland Orchestra, Melbourne, Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras, and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra.