Joshua Weilerstein
© Felix Broede
Biographie
Joshua Weilerstein is the Artistic Director of the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne. His clarity of musical expression, unforced manner and deep natural musicianship has led him to conduct extensively in both Europe and in America. His enthusiasm for a wide range of repertoire is combined with an ambition to bring new audiences into the concert hall.
Joshua Weilerstein is increasingly in demand as a guest conductor and in 2016/17 will make his debut with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in family concerts and in the same week, will assist Mariss Jansons. He will also make his debut with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Czech Philharmonic, NDR Hannover and London Philharmonic Orchestras. He returns to the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Netherlands Philharmonic, Orchestre National de Lyon, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. In August 2016 Weilerstein made his operatic debut conducting Don Giovanni at the Verbier Festival, and stepped in a short notice to conduct the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra and soloists Joshua Bell and George Li.
His success at the 2009 Malko Competition, where he was awarded both the First Prize and the Audience Prize, has led to Weilerstein establishing strong relationships with the Oslo Philharmonic, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Stockholm Philharmonic, and Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Elsewhere in Europe, he has also conducted the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, SWR Stuttgart, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg.
Joshua Weilerstein believes passionately in programming both traditional and contemporary repertoire. He is committed to presenting, whenever possible, a piece by a living composer in each of his programmes. He also cherishes the value of music education wherever the opportunity arises. Inspired by the brilliant form of music education practiced by Leonard Bernstein, he has started a classical music podcast for music lovers and beginners alike. Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast has already been downloaded thousands of times. Weilerstein was heavily involved in Young People’s Concerts during his time as the Assistant Conductor with the New York Philharmonic, and served as Concertmaster of Discovery Ensemble, a Boston-based chamber orchestra dedicated to presenting classical music to inner-city schools in Boston. With the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Weilerstein actively supports the educational and Discovery concerts for children and families.
Joshua Weilerstein feels that it is essential to have an open communication between the stage and audience and is always excited to hear from musicians and audiences alike. He is accessible on social media for conversation about the future of classical music, programming, and the experience of concert-going.