| Biography | British conductor Ben Gernon studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he held the Conducting Fellowship, graduating in 2011. In 2013 he won the internationally acclaimed Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award conducting Camerata Salzburg following a unanimous decision from the jury, led by Ingo Metzmacher. As part of the Award, he later made his debut with the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester at the Salzburg Festival conducting Prokofievs Symphony No. 5.
Forthcoming engagements include his debut with the Ulster Orchestra as part of the BBC Radio 3 'America' series; conducting the LPO Future Firsts at the Royal Festival Hall; and assisting Pierre-Andre Valade with Gerald Barrys The Importance of Being Earnest at Northern Ireland Opera. He also returns to the London Symphony Orchestra for two Discovery Series projects. In Spring 2014 he conducts two projects as part of the Bristol Ensemble 'Northern Lights' Series, including one with acclaimed pianist Peter Donohoe. In future seasons he makes his debut with Vancouver Symphony, Sinfonietta Lausanne, Nagoya Philharmonic and returns to Camerata Salzburg.
Highlights of recent seasons include his BBC Proms debut conducting Tansy Davies Composer Portrait, London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra at the St Magnus Festival, London Sinfonietta, London Philharmonic Future Firsts and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, as well as reaching the finals of the renowned Donatella Flick conducting competition in 2012. In Spring 2013 he assisted Gustavo Dudamel during the LA Philharmonic residency at the Barbican and most recently conducted a specially crafted arrangement of Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail at the Salzburg Festival to critical acclaim.
Ben is Professor of Musicality at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has been mentored by Sian Edwards and the late Sir Colin Davis. He was recently appointed a Dudamel Fellow with the LA Philharmonic by Gustavo Dudamel. In Summer 2013 BBC Music Magazine featured him as their 'Rising Star: Great artist of tomorrow'.
Ben made his BBC Proms debut in the 2014 season, conducting the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in music by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies at London's Royal Albert Hall on Monday 8 September 2014. |