The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra today announced that Jonathan Bloxham will be its new assistant conductor.
Bloxham, who is also a cellist, will take over from current assistant conductor Alpesh Chauhan, who has been in the post for two years. His duties will include working with the CBSO Youth Orchestra, providing rehearsal notes and advising incoming music director Mirga Gražintyė-Tyla and guest conductors on matters of orchestral balance, and conducting the CBSO for one of next seasons's family concerts. He will also conduct the orchestra on 28 June 2017 in a concert with pianist Peter Donohoe in a performance of Schumman's Piano Concerto.
The CBSO has developed something of a reputation for talent-spotting and developing young conductors, with its former music directors and assistants regularly going on to have huge international careers – consequently, it received almost 200 applications for the post.
'I am thrilled and honoured to be joining the CBSO family next season,' says Bloxham. 'I can't wait to start working with and learning from Mirga, Michael (Seal), Simon (Halsey) and the orchestra.'