ICCR winner Bertie Baigent appointed Principal Assistant Conductor

Bertie Baigent, who at the start of this month won the Grand Prix at the International Conducting Competition Rotterdam (ICCR), has been appointed Principal Assistant Conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. The appointment is for a term of one year, commencing this August. In his role as Principal Assistant Conductor, Bertie will lead a variety of family concerts and educational performances. In addition, he will assist Chief Conductor Lahav Shani in four concert weeks.

‘Imposing’ is how the NRC Handelsblad described the performances of Bertie Baigent during the ICCR. And the jury agreed, awarding Bertie not only the Grand Prix, but also the Symphonic Award and the Classical Award for his work with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century. However, such a performance did not come out of the blue: last year, Bertie won three prizes at the Tokyo International Music Competition for Conducting and debuted with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra who immediately reinvited him. Bertie Baigent is currently Music Director of Waterperry Opera Festival and Assistant Conductor with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra where he has assisted Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla on tour. Next month he makes his NHK Symphony (Tokyo) debut.