Martin Cotton
Chairman of the Jury

The 2008 competition saw several firsts: the involvement of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the introduction of a video presentation during the final deliberations of the Jury, and the debut appearance of a female finalist. Whilst I can make no promises for a repeat of the last of these in 2010, I am pleased that the GSMD will again be providing the orchestra and soloists for the first two days of the Competition, and that a new video will be made over the whole three days, and rush edited for the Barbican audience to enjoy at the end of the final concert.

Kathryn McDowell writes opposite about the winner's relationship with the LSO: I am delighted that the 2008 winner David Afkham has also been working with the Chicago Symphony and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestras, as the first “Bernard Haitink Fund for Young Talent” recipient, and that he has been appointed a fellow of the Los Angeles Philharmonic to work with Gustavo Dudamel.

In these economically difficult times, the Competition still provides a substantial reward for the winner, both in financial terms, and in raising his or her profile in the musical world. As always, I look forward to it immensely.

Kathryn McDowell
Managing Director,
London Symphony Orchestra

The London Symphony Orchestra has partnered the Donatella Flick Conducting Competition since 1996 and has watched it go from strength to strength. We are delighted to be closely associated with the Competition - the LSO is continually looking for ways to nurture young talent and give access to world-class music-making activities, and this is an exceptional way to support budding young conductors.

It is wonderful to watch the progression of previous winners’ careers; the 2006 winner, Michal Dworzynski, is now Director of the Beethoven Academy in Krakow, and, looking further back to the 2000 winner, François-Xavier Roth has recently been appointed Music Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège Wallonie Bruxelles, as well as being the Associate Guest Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. I am delighted that the LSO continues to work with a number of the previous winners.

The Competition is invariably described as ‘prestigious’, but it is so much more than that. It is a truly valuable and rare opportunity for a young conductor and we are extremely grateful to Donatella Flick for her determination and unwavering belief in the Competition. On behalf of the Orchestra, I wish all the competitors the best of luck at this exciting stage of their conducting journey.