Taki Alumnae Triumph at La Maestra Competition
On September 18, La Maestra announced Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship alumna Rebecca Tong as the winner of the inaugural 2020 Competition & Academy for Young Women Conductors.
Earlier this year, the Philharmonie de Paris and Paris Mozart Orchestra announced the creation of the La Maestra competition as an part of ongoing efforts to address the alarmingly low number of female conductors in Europe. The competition strives to provide a high-profile platform for the outstanding talents of the many women conductors.
Marin Alsop served on the competition jury, joining a committee of distinguished conductors and arts leaders, including Ewa Bogusz-Moore, Elizabeth Askren, Lionel Bringuier, Jean-Claude Casadesus, Claire Gibault, and Maxime Pascal.
Participants in the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship earned three of the top six spots at the La Maestra Competition. Behind first prize winner Rebecca Tong were Lina Gonzalez-Granados (third prize) and Hollie Hyun Choe (final six). In addition to winning first prize, Rebecca Tong also won the Arte Prize as well as the French Concert Halls and Orchestras Prize. The competition is available to stream for free on Arte.