Gemma New

Gemma New
ONZM
Gemma New conducts the National Symphony Orchestra
Background information
Birth nameGemma Elizabeth New
Born (1986-12-27) 27 December 1986 (age 38)
Wellington, New Zealand
Occupation(s)Conductor, composer
Instrument(s)Violin, piano
Websitewww.gemmanew.com

Gemma Elizabeth New ONZM (born 27 December 1986) is a New Zealand-born conductor. She is currently principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Early life and education

Born into a musical family,[1][2] New began violin studies at age 5, and piano lessons at age 8.[3] By age 12, she was playing in a youth orchestra in Wellington.[4][5] As a teenager, she conducted the Christchurch Youth Orchestra. New attended Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, in Karori, Wellington, from 1991 to 2004.[6]

New read physics, mathematics, and music at the University of Canterbury, from which she graduated with a degree in music.[7] She later earned a graduate degree in music from Baltimore, Maryland's Peabody Institute.[3]

Career

New founded and directed the Maryland music collective Lunar Ensemble, with which she has premiered 26 compositions.[8] New was assistant conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra from 2011 to 2016.[9][10] In the 2014–2015 season, she was a Dudamel Conducting Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.[3] 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.[3] This appointment marked New's first music directorship. Her first performance in the post was in February 2016.[1] In May 2017, the HPO extended New's contract as music director through the 2020–2021 season.[11] In November 2020, the HPO announced a further extension of New's contract as music director through the 2023–2024 season.[12] New concluded her HPO tenure at the close of 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 served in the post through the 2022–2023 season.[18]

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) appointed New as its artistic adviser and principal conductor in 2022, the first woman to hold the posts.[19][20]

Honours and awards

New (left), after her investiture as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit by the governor-general, Dame Cindy Kiro, at Government House, Wellington, on 10 September 2024

In March 2021, the Solti Foundation U.S. announced New as the 12th recipient of The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award.[21][22]

In the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours, New was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to music direction.[23]

References

  1. ^ a b Leonard Turnevicius (7 February 2016). "HPO's new music director makes her debut – and it was worth waiting for". Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  2. ^ Leonard Turnevicius (18 September 2016). "Snap, crackle and pop: Gemma New and HPO light up Hamilton Place". Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d Samantha Craggs (4 July 2015). "Gemma New of Hamilton Philharmonic is 1 of continent's few female conductors". CBC News. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  4. ^ Paul Hunter (6 March 2016). "Conductor Gemma New breaking brass ceiling in Steeltown". The Star. Archived from the original on 19 May 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Gemma New: Conductor on the rise". Radio New Zealand. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Gemma New (2018) – Samuel Marsden Collegiate School Karori – MyMarsden". marsden.ultranet.school.nz. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  7. ^ Kip Brook (22 July 2014). "Canterbury graduate and rising young conductor". University of Canterbury News. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  8. ^ Kevin Coughlin (22 June 2014). "Chasing rainbows: Gemma New, Kiwi conductor-turned-Jersey Girl, aims for more NJSO magic at Giralda, June 22". Morristown Green. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  9. ^ Sarah Bryan Miller (25 August 2016). "Rising Star: SLSO's Gemma New makes music 'a holistic experience'". Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  10. ^ Ross Amico (5 October 2016). "Classical Music: NJSO performing this weekend". Times of Trenton. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  11. ^ "HPO extends Gemma New's contract until 2021" (Press release). Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. 23 May 2017. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  12. ^ "Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra announces the extension of Gemma New's contract through 2024" (Press release). Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  13. ^ "HPO Announces Music Directors Departure" (Press release). Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. 4 November 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  14. ^ Sarah Bryan Miller (2 June 2016). "SLSO appoints Gemma New as resident conductor". Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  15. ^ Sarah Bryan Miller (23 September 2018). "Music review: A great start for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's new season". Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  16. ^ "As Her Tenure Concludes, Gemma New Reflects On Her Time As SLSO Resident Conductor". SLSO Stories. 13 May 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  17. ^ "Gemma New Named Principal Guest Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra" (Press release). Dallas Symphony Orchestra. 17 October 2018. Archived from the original on 19 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  18. ^ "Dallas Symphony Orchestra announces the contract extensions of Gemma New, Principal Guest Conductor (Dolores G. & Lawrence S. Barzune, M.D. Chair) and Angélica Negrón, Composer-in-Residence" (Press release). Dallas Symphony Orchestra. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  19. ^ Fallon, Virginia (26 February 2022). "Breaking the brass ceiling: NZSO appoints first woman principal conductor in 75 years". Stuff. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  20. ^ Norman, Cushla; Reporter, 1News. "National orchestra has female conductor for first time in 75 years". 1 News. Retrieved 9 August 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ "The Solti Foundation U.S. announces the twelfth recipient of The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award" (Press release). The Solti Foundation U.S. March 2021. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  22. ^ "New Zealand Born Conductor Gemma New Recipient Of 2021 Solti Fellow". www.scoop.co.nz. 9 March 2021. Archived from the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  23. ^ "King's Birthday Honours 2024: The full list of all recipients". The New Zealand Herald. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
Cultural offices
Preceded by
James Sommerville
 Music Director, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
2015–2024 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Edo de Waart (music director)
 Principal Conductor, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
2022–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent