Buongiorno!
I am very glad to virtually meet you! My name is Valentina and I am pleased to be the 2015-17 Taki Concordia Conducting Fellow.
My being here now is the most real, sincere and beautiful proof that the Taki Concordia is an incredible, unique, and visionary project that really offers opportunities and support to young women conductors.
In just couple of months my life has changed completely. Before meeting Marin I was living in Florence, teaching and directing my choir with generosity and passion, and studying orchestral scores secretly every night as I couldn’t find opportunities to actually conduct an orchestra. I rehearsed so many scores every night in my head.
My dream was to find a mentor, someone to admire, who could guide me, teach me, and support me. Even more importantly, I wished for a mentor who would believe in me, a mentor who could see further than I see.Earlier this year I uploaded a video and sent an application to the Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship: and it all started!
Valentina with Marin in London.
In June I was thrilled to follow Marin’s rehearsals at the Barbican Centre with LSO. I made my debut with the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra (OSESP), the Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra, and with ORT Orchestra della Toscana playing with Yuri Bashmet and Boris Belkin. In September Marin offered to have me assist her with the OAE – the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment at the unique BBC Proms in London. Wow! A couple of days later I was with her in Sao Paulo with OSESP as assistant conductor for a huge production of Shoenberg Gurre Lieder with Isaac Karabtchevsky and also for Marin’s entire cycle of Brahms Symphonies with which we toured to Rio de Janeiro. I thought that was already the top, but while I was there another incredible opportunity came up: a conductor canceled a subscription program. I took the chance and it was a triumph! On the major Brazilian musical journal was written “a young musician of extraordinary sensitivity”, “a passionate interpretation”, “rare, precious enchanting moments”. I couldn’t be happier!
As a result, I have been appointed their Assistant Conductor in Residence for 2016! I will assist all the productions there, conduct my own concerts, and I will collaborate with the Conducting Academy, a new project for young conductors that will start next year. Seriously, I really can’t believe that it is happening! In a few months I learned more than in all my life.
And this is thanks to all of you who believe in Marin’s fantastic project, the Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship. It’s thanks to all of you that my dream is coming true. Nothing is more precious that offering young people the real chance to improve, every day, and to give them hope.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’ll do my best, with joy and enthusiasm. Please, you’re very welcome to write me anytime. I’ll keep you updated!
Have a great Christmas and Holidays, thank you!
Valentina Peleggi
Taki Concordia Conducting Fellow