One of the foremost conductors of our time, Marin Alsop is the first woman to serve as the head of major orchestras in the United States, South America, Austria, and Great Britain. Winner of the 2025 Golden Baton Award from the League of American Orchestras, Alsop is also the first and only conductor to receive a MacArthur Fellowship.

Alsop serves as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and Chief Conductor of the Ravinia Festival.

Alsop’s summer 2026 highlights include conducting the London Philharmonia at the inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Família as well as at the BBC Proms. Alsop concludes her Carnegie Hall Perspectives Artist season with the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall. She also returns to the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic; Bravo! Vail Music Festival and Saratoga Performing Arts Center with the Philadelphia Orchestra; and the Ravinia Festival with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in her role as Chief Conductor. Alsop will also conduct the composition portion of the George Enescu International Competition marking her first appearance with the Romanian Radio National Orchestra.

To nurture the careers of women conductors, Alsop founded the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship to empower extraordinary women conductors through intensive coaching, mentoring, and financial support. Among the 42 award winners, 32 Music Director/Chief Conductor titles are held with orchestras around the world.

In 2021, Alsop assumed the title of Music Director Laureate of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. During her 14-year tenure as Music Director, she led the orchestra on its first European tour in 13 years, conducted more than two dozen world premieres, and founded the music education program OrchKids.

(295 words)

(April 2026)