Marin Alsop

Marin Alsop (born October 16, 1956) is an American conductor and violinist. She is the music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra. Alsop was born in New York City to professional musician parents. She attended Yale University, but later transferred to the Juilliard School, where she earned a bachelor's and a master's degree in violin. She founded the string ensemble String Fever in 1981. She won the Koussevitzky Prize as outstanding student conductor at the Tanglewood Music Center in 1989. Alsop was born in New York City to professional musician parents. She attended Yale University, but later transferred to the Juilliard School, where she earned a bachelor's and a master's degree in violin. She founded the string ensemble String Fever in 1981. She won the Koussevitzky Prize as outstanding student conductor at the Tanglewood Music Center in 1989. In September 2007, Alsop was appointed the 12th music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (Baltimore SO), having been named Music Director Designate for the 2006-2007 concert season. Her selection was noteworthy because Alsop is the first woman to hold this position with a major American orchestra. The initial controversy surrounding her choice stemmed from significant resistance from the orchestra's players, who insisted they had not had enough voice in the search process. The orchestra and Alsop met after the announcement and apparently smoothed over some of their differences. In June 2009, the orchestra announced the extension of her contract for another five years, through August 2015. In July 2013, the Baltimore SO announced a further extension of her contract as music director through the 2020-2021 season. Since she became music director, Alsop's initiatives with the Baltimore SO have included the "Webumentary Film Series" and a free iTunes podcast, "Clueless About Classical." She recently announced a new educational program called "OrchKids", in which underprivileged Baltimore children will receive free music instruction, based on Venezuela's El Sistema program. Alsop was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2008. In the UK, Alsop has served as principal guest conductor with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and with the City of London Sinfonia. Alsop was Principal Conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (Bournemouth SO) from 2002 to 2008. She was voted Gramophone magazine's Artist of the Year in 2003 and won the Royal Philharmonic Society's conductor's award in the same season. In April 2007, Alsop was one of eight conductors of British orchestras to endorse the 10-year classical music outreach manifesto, "Building on Excellence: Orchestras for the 21st Century", to increase the presence of classical music in the UK, including giving free entry to all British schoolchildren to a classical music concert. Alsop received an honorary degree of Doctor of Music from Bournemouth University on 7 November 2007. Alsop served as an Artist-in-Residence at the Southbank Centre, London, for the 2011-2012 season. In 2012, Alsop became principal conductor of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra. Her work with the São Paulo orchestra has included a European tour, including its first-ever appearance at the Proms in August 2012, the first Proms appearance by any Brazilian orchestra. On 7 September 2013 she became the first woman to conduct the Last Night of the Proms. On 4 September 2014, on a return visit to the Proms to conduct works by John Adams and Mahler, she was awarded Honorary Membership of the Royal Philharmonic Society, the presentation being made on stage by the composer and RPS trustee, Colin Matthews.