Andrew Gourlay

Andrew Gourlay will begin work in September 2010 as Assistant Conductor to Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé, and Music Director of the Hallé Youth Orchestra.  As the recent winner of the Cadaques International Conducting Competition, his 1st Prize secures concerts with 29 orchestras around the world.

Born in Jamaica, Andrew grew up in the Bahamas, Philippines, Japan and England.  A pianist and trombonist by training, his first concerts as a conductor took place at Manchester University whilst studying on the prestigious Joint Course with the Royal Northern College of Music.  He subsequently won a Postgraduate Scholarship to study conducting at the Royal College of Music in London, where he prepared Bruckner symphonies for Bernard Haitink and Mozart symphonies for Sir Roger Norrington.  Since leaving the RCM he has been invited back as a guest conductor, preparing the orchestra for Vladimir Jurowski and co-conducting Britten's War Requiem with Martin André.

Andrew was selected in 2008 to conduct the London Symphony Orchestra in a public masterclass with Valery Gergiev.  Other masterclasses have included several with Bernard Haitink.  He was selected in 2010 as Assistant Conductor of the Britten-Pears Orchestra.  He has conducted the St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra whilst studying with Alexander Polianichko in Russia.   He has prepared the Barbican Young Orchestra for Sir Colin Davis and will do so again in 2010.  Last year he conducted BBC Radio 3's Discovering Music programme, as part of the London Jazz Festival.

Andrew has worked at the Royal Ballet as Cover Conductor for Barry Wordsworth.  Opera work has included Rusalka and La Tragédie de Carmen as Staff Music Director of English Touring Opera, and The Marriage of Figaro at the Benjamin Britten International Opera School.

A professional trombonist until his mid twenties, Andrew had by the age of 25 freelanced with the Hallé, BBC Philharmonic, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Philharmonia, Opera North and London Sinfonietta.  He had toured South America and Europe as a member of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester under Claudio Abbado.  Chamber music highlights include winning the Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition with Lancier Brass and concerts with the London Mozart Players Brass Quintet.

Awards have included the 'Star Award' from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, the H R Taylor Trust Award for Conducting, the Bob Harding Bursary for Young Conductors and the Charles Leggett Award administered by the Musicians Benevolent Fund.

Andrew has presented The Early Music Show on BBC Radio 3 along with several features broadcast on the same station.