Music alumnus, Ben Glassberg triumphed this weekend, winning audience, orchestra and jury prizes at the 55th Besançon International Competition for Young Conductors.
Chairman of the jury, Leonard Slatkin, later tweeted:
"Heartiest congratulations to @glassyben for winning the conducting competition in Besançon. Truly gifted with a fine career ahead."
While at Cambridge, Ben held the position of 2013–14 Cambridge University Musical Society Conducting Scholar, and after completing his Music degree he studied conducting with Sian Edwards at the Royal Academy of Music.
In Summer 2017, Ben worked at Glyndebourne as assistant on a new production by Claus Guth of La Clemenza de Tito with Robin Ticciati conducting. Due to Ticciati's indisposition, Ben conducted a performance of the opera, making him one of the youngest conductors to debut at the Glyndebourne Festival in its history. Invited regularly to the Festival, Ben will return in summer 2018 to assist on Madamma Butterfly and in the autumn of 2018 on tour with La Traviata.
Also in the 2017–18 season Ben will make his debut with Kammerakademie Potsdam in both symphonic concerts and in a new production of Cosi fan Tutte as part of the Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg. He will assist Vladimir Jurowski and the London Philharmonic Orchestra and returns to work with Antonello Manacorda at the Theater an der Wien on a new production A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Damiano Michieletto. Future seasons include a return to La Monnaie to assist and to conduct performances in their new Da Ponte Cycle.