Elim Chan is in demand worldwide as a guest conductor, and has decided to step back from her role as Chief Conductor of Antwerp Symphony. Since her appointment in 2019, she has become a favorite with concert-goers in Antwerp and far beyond. The orchestra thanks her for the beautiful and intense collaboration, and looks forward to an exciting final season '23-'24. This summer she will record an album with the orchestra featuring music by Ravel, Prokofiev and Ogonek. Her final concerts as Chief Conductor are scheduled for May 2024 with violinist Midori as soloist.
First female Chief Conductor
When Elim Chan was appointed in 2019, interest was immediate and enormous. The then 32-year-old from Hong Kong became the first female Chief Conductor of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. Since then, Chan's international profile has accelerated. She developed her own energetic style with which she captivates audiences effortlessly during her well-attended concerts. As a highly sought-after guest conductor, she has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Bayerische Rundfunk Orchester, among others, and is currently artist in residence at the Wiener Musikverein.
Elim Chan: "My time with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra was important on so many levels. We were able to learn and grow together and I wish the orchestra every success. I cherish fond memories of my time in Antwerp, of working and touring with the orchestra, and I look forward to returning to the beautiful Antwerp audience in the future."
Just call me Elim
Elim Chan was appointed as the new Chief Conductor of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra in 2019. After a striking inaugural concert in the Koningin Elisabethzaal and a tour through the Baltic States, she skillfully led the orchestra through the turbulent corona period. Also during the recent tour through Spain, or during the extraordinary concert with Lukáš Vondráček during the Elisabeth-Weekend in January 2023, Elim Chan demonstrated that she is rightly one of the most sought-after conductors of her generation.
Intendant Joost Maegerman: "Under the leadership of Elim Chan, the orchestra experienced impressive artistic growth in recent years, also during the turbulent corona period. She not only increased the international reputation of the orchestra and opened doors for tours, but also brought about a rejuvenation of the audience. Moreover, thanks in part to Elim, a female conductor has become a matter of course in the Benelux. It is understandable that young sought-after conductors take their careers into their own hands. We wish Elim every success with the continuation of her career, and hope to see her back in Antwerp often as a guest conductor after the coming season."
In addition to the already planned concerts in the 2023-2024 season, including the Belgian premiere of Anna Clynes Weathered and concerts with soloists Sol Gabetta, Bomsori and Gabriela Montero, recordings are planned this summer for an album featuring music by Ravel, Prokofiev and Elizabeth Ogonek.
Meanwhile, the search for a successor to Elim Chan has begun. Until that appointment, the orchestra will continue its artistic growth trajectory under the leadership of guest conductor of honor Philippe Herreweghe, conductor emeritus Jaap Van Zweden, and many internationally renowned guest conductors