Solti Foundation U.S. announces awards to two young American conductors

Yaniv Attar, Assistant Conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra,

awarded 2010 Career Development Award

and

Christopher Hill, Music Director of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra,

awarded 2010 Career Assistance Award

by The Solti Foundation U.S.

Evanston, Illinois ’Äì The Solti Foundation U.S. is pleased to announce that it has awarded a 2010 Career Development Award and a 2010 Career Assistance Award to two young, accomplished conductors.  These awards, given to American conductors in the formative years of their careers, may be used for a variety of career development needs.

Yaniv Attar, Assistant Conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra since 2008, is the recipient of the 2010 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Development Award.  Mr. Attar, who holds the Bruno Walter Conducting Chair at the ASO, has also worked with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, London Soloist Chamber Orchestra, Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss am Rhein, Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Orchestra I Pomeriggi Musicali Milan, and the Mihail Jora Philharmonic Romania. The $5,000 grant, given every two years, was previously been awarded in 2008 to Joseph F. Young, now working with the Buffalo Philharmonic as a member of the League of American Orchestras’Äô American Conducting Fellows program. 

Christopher Hill, Music Director of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra in New Hampshire, is the recipient of a 2010 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award.  In addition to his work with the PSO, Mr. Hill recently served as director of orchestras at the University of New Hampshire and guested with the Richmond Symphony in Virginia.  Introduced in 2009, the Career Assistance Award is given annually, with the number and amount(s) determined at the discretion of the Artistic and Awards Committee.  Former recipients of the award include James Feddeck, Assistant Conductor, Cleveland Orchestra; Kelly Kuo, Assistant Conductor, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and Case Scaglione, Music Director, YMF Debut Orchestra (Los Angeles, CA).

 The Sir Georg Solti Emerging Conductor Award, a grant of $10,000, to be introduced in late spring  2010. Application deadline is May 15, 2010. The award will be given to an American conductor 35 years  of age or younger.