ASO Announces Music Director Finalists

Posted May 01, 2017 | ASO News, Press Releases, 

Alexandria, VA—The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra announces its finalists for its next Music Director.  The four selected candidates will conduct and program four pairs of concerts during the ASO’s 2017-2018 season as their final audition.

The final candidates are: Michael Rossi, conducting September 23 and 24, 2017; James Ross, conducting October 21 and 22, 2017; José-Luis Novo, conducting February 10 and 11, 2018 and Nicholas Hersh, conducting April 7 and 8, 2018.  Related community events to meet and interact with the candidates will occur during concert weeks.  The ASO will engage its audience and musicians through targeted surveys to further evaluate the finalists.

Following the suggested guidelines established by the League of American Orchestras, the Music Director Search Committee members worked diligently since the initial August 1, 2016 application deadline to review the complete applications and videos from each of the 170 candidates from around the world.  The inclusive Search Committee consisted of Alexandria citizens, ASO musicians, and members of the orchestra’s Board of Trustees.

“The ASO is thrilled to announce the final candidates, one of which will be the ASO’s next Music Director,” said Ronal Butler, President of the ASO Board of Trustees.  “The search committee received a qualified pool of applicants.  These four finalists have unique backgrounds and fresh ideas to offer the ASO for its upcoming 75th Anniversary year and beyond.”

The finalists are indeed diverse, conducting symphonies from Xalapa, Mexico to Lucena, Spain—from the Los Angeles Philharmonic to the Washington National Opera.  Michael Rossi is the founder and Artistic Director of the Miami Summer Music Festival; James Ross is currently Director of Orchestras at the University of Maryland, Orchestra Director for the National Youth Orchestra – USA, Music Director-designate of the Orquesta Simfònica del Vallès and serves on the faculty at Juilliard.  Nicholas Hersh serves as Associate Conductor with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; José-Luis Novo leads the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra as Music Director and Conductor.

Complete details for the 2017-2018 Season, including programming, will be announced by May 15.