SOLOISTS & CONDUCTORS 2023

NZ born conductor Michael Joel studied at Otago University and also with conductors Hienz Walberg, Niguel Harth-Bedoya, Jac van Steen and at the Darlington International Summer School. Equally at home in the orchestra, choral and operatic repertoire, Michael has conducted  extensively throughout NZ and the UK including on the music staff of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He conducted pianist Pascal Rogé in Saint-Saëns’ 2nd Piano Concerto with the Lakeland Sinfonia in the UK to great acclaim. He has conducted many of the established orchestras and companies in NZ including Christchurch Symphony, Dunedin Symphony, Opera Otago, City of Dunedin Choir, NZSO National Youth Orchestra and principals and members of the NZSO and NZSQ in a critically acclaimed performance of Mahler’s 4th Symphony. Michael is currently Music Director of SMCO