The Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship was set up by Marin Alsop,the former Principal Conductor with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra,in 2002 in order to help aspiring young female conductors.
In May 2006, we provided both financial support and hospitality to enable that year’s Fellow, Jeri Lynne Johnson, to spend a week working with Marin and the BSO here in southern England. This was in addition to a week in Colorado. It proved to be a great success.
In November 2006, we were delighted and privileged to have Marin conduct the specially formed Soroptimist International Youth Orchestra at a fundraising concert at Wimborne Minster. This was a wonderful opportunity for young musicians from the south-west of England to play under the baton of one of the world’s leading conductors (who happens to be a woman!) and the concert raised enough funds to support TCCF UK for several years to come.
Kelly Corcoran, the 2008 winner, came to Bournemouth in January that year. Her visit included a special luncheon at Poole Centre for the Arts attended by Soroptimists and Friends of BSO, at which Marin and Kelly were guests. The luncheon was followed by a Master Class and later that week, Kelly conducted the BSO in the Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg by Richard Wagner at a public performance in Portsmouth.
Marin Alsop has now moved on to become Music Director of one of America’s major orchestras, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
Over the period of our support a total of £4,370 was raised to assist TCCF and we are very proud to have worked with one of the world’s leading conductors to achieve this.
Marin Alsop r
emains an Honorary Member of our Club and is also Emeritus Conductor with the BSO.