Gemma New (born 27 December 1986) is a New Zealand-born conductor. In 2022 she was appointed principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, becoming the first woman to hold the position in the orchestra's 75-year history.[1]
Gemma New | |
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Background information | |
Born | (1986-12-27) 27 December 1986 (age 35) Wellington, New Zealand |
Occupation(s) | Conductor, composer |
Instrument(s) | Violin, piano |
Born into a musical family,[2][3] New began violin studies at age 5, and piano lessons at age 8.[4] By age 12, she was playing in a youth orchestra in Wellington.[5][6] As a teenager, she conducted the Christchurch Youth Orchestra. New attended Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, in Karori, Wellington, from 1991 to 2004.[7]
New read physics, mathematics, and music at the University of Canterbury, from which she graduated with a degree in music.[8] She later earned a graduate degree in music from Baltimore, Maryland's Peabody Institute.[4]
New founded and directed the Maryland music collective Lunar Ensemble, with which she has premiered 26 compositions.[9] New was assistant conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra from 2011 to 2016.[10][11] In the 2014–2015 season, she was a Dudamel Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.[4] For 2014, she was a Kurt Masur conducting fellow.
In May 2015, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) named New as its next music director, the first female conductor ever named to the post.[4] This appointment marked New's first music directorship. Her first performance in the post was in February 2016.[2] In May 2017, the HPO extended New's contract as music director through the 2020–2021 season.[12] In November 2020, the HPO announced a further extension of New's contract as music director through the 2023–2024 season.[13]
In June 2016, New was appointed resident conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) and music director of the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra.[14] In September 2018, New directed the opening concerts of the SLSO's 2018–2019 season, the first female conductor ever to do so.[15] She stood down from her St. Louis posts at the close of the 2019–2020 season.[16] In October 2018, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of New as its next principal guest conductor, the first female conductor to hold the title, effective with the 2019–2020 season.[17] She was reappointed to this position for the 2022–2023 season.[18]
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra appointed her as their artistic adviser and principal conductor in 2022, the first woman to hold this position.[19]
In March 2021, the Solti Foundation U.S. announced New as the 12th recipient of The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award.[20][21]
Cultural offices | ||
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Preceded by James Sommerville |
Music Director, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra 2015–present |
Succeeded by incumbent |