Ludovic Morlot, nomenat nou director titular de l’Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya

10-Nov-2021 – Aleix Palau

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This morning, the Governing Council of the Consorci de L’Auditori i l’Orquestra approved the proposal put forward by the Director of L’Auditori, Robert Brufau, to appoint Ludovic Morlot as the new Music Director of the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya. Morlot will take up his post in September 2022 for the following four seasons.

His appointment is the culmination of a search process that began three years ago and is a major boost for the OBC and L’Auditori’s new artistic project for the future. The decision is the result of intense work by the artistic direction of L’Auditori, with the involvement and complicity of the members of the Orchestra. Ambitious plans together will include an increased digital presence, CD recordings, international residencies, talent development and youth programmes, also to increase the permanent orchestra size over the coming years.

Robert Brufau, the Director of L’Auditori, affirms that ‘with Ludovic Morlot at the helm, the OBC reaches an international level and will defend the role that symphonic music has to play in the 21st century. Morlot has proven his capacity to promote the artistic growth of large groups that, thanks to his leadership, have achieved great success. Modernity and rigour are part of his DNA as an artist, and this is evident in everything he does, from management to the stage with full awareness of the challenges of modern society’.

Ludovic Morlot commented: ‘I so enjoyed working with OBC musicians and the management team at l’Auditori for their energy in crafting beautiful performances and their curiosity and love of music.  This is an honour and privilege to be invited to lead these extraordinary musicians into the next chapter and be dreaming together of a new future for this inspiring organisation. I look forward very much to broadening the repertoire of the orchestra as well as to learn more about the rich Catalan musical heritage. To be adding my voice to the work accomplished by previous Music Director Kashushi Ono is a challenge I look forward to with pride and great anticipation.’ 

Ludovic Morlot’s impetus, elegance and intensity on stage have earned him the esteem of audiences and orchestras from all over the world, from the Berliner Philharmoniker to the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Ludovic Morlot, born in Lyon, France (1973), is currently Conductor Emeritus of the Seattle Symphony, an honorary title bestowed on him for the extraordinary work he has done during his eight years as the orchestra’s Principal Conductor.

During his time in Seattle, he made innovative programmes that embraced a wide variety of repertoires and genres, and produced some twenty recordings for which he was awarded five Grammy Awards. Under his direction, the orchestra performed important works such as Become Ocean by John Luther Adams, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2014; furthermore, the Seattle Symphony was named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year.<

In addition, since 2019, Ludovic has been an Associate Artist of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, with which he has maintained a close relationship for many years.

Maestro Morlot conducts prestigious orchestras around the world, such as Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw, Czech Philharmonic, Dresden Staatskapelle, London Philharmonic, Budapest Festival, to name a few.  He has conducted at the BBC Proms, Wien Modern and Edinburgh Festivals, and his appearances in the USA have included New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony and Philadelphia Orchestra.  Ludovic has a particularly strong connection with the Boston Symphony Orchestra where, at a very young age, he was Assistant Conductor. Since then he has conducted the orchestra in Boston and at the Tanglewood Festival, among many other projects.

In the operatic field, Ludovic Morlot was Music Director of La Monnaie, Brussels, for three years (2012-2014), where he premiered several productions such as La clemenza di Tito, Jenůfa and Pelléas et Mélisande. He recently opened the 21/22 Seattle Opera season with a special performance of Die Walkuere.

Ludovic trained as a violinist, studied conducting in the USA then continued his training in London, at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. Ludovic is an Associate Professor at the University of Washington School of Music in Seattle and a Visiting Artist at the Colburn School in Los Angeles. Moreover, in 2014 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in London, in recognition of his important contribution to music. Throughout his career, Ludovic Morlot has shown a great commitment to the new generations of artists, with such outstanding moments as having been Founder and Artistic Director, in 2019, of the National Youth Orchestra of China.

The public of Catalonia will next be able to enjoy Ludovic Morlot the week of 17 January at L’Auditori in the concert by the OBC, Allò que em diu l’amor (What Love Tells Me), with works by Bach, Betsy Jolas, Schumann, Carter and Mahler, with the pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard as guest soloist. Ludovic Morlot first conducted the OBC in December 2020, and returned last month for a programme of Ravel, Bartok, Roussel and Lily Boulanger.

CARREGANT…

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