The School of Fine Arts invites you to join A Conversation with Maestro Carolyn Kuan, Music Director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, in von der Mehden Recital Hall, UConn Storrs, on Friday, March 29, at 1.25 p.m.
Maestro Kuan is one of the most versatile and adventurous conductors of her generation. She has performed across the globe, with leading ensembles throughout the US, Europe, Asia, and South America, and she is sought after as much as a conductor of opera as in symphonic repertoire. She has been a champion of new music of all kinds, and of the work of composers of Asian descent in particular: her 2012 debut album for the Naxos label, conducting the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in music by Chinese composers, was a landmark in this field.
As Music Director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra since 2011, Maestro Kuan has nurtured musical excellence in core classics while at the same time boldly diversifying the repertoire. She has established the HSO as a vibrant nexus for imaginative collaborations across the arts, working with visual artists, dancers, puppeteers, and actors to expand the traditional concert hall experience with a wide range of multimedia dimensions.
Recipient of numerous awards, Ms. Kuan holds the distinction of being in 2003 the first woman to be awarded the Herbert von Karajan Conducting Fellowship, resulting in her residency at the 2004 Salzburg Festival. Winner of the first Taki Concordia Fellowship, she has received additional awards from the Women’s Philharmonic, Conductors Guild, and Susan W. Rose Fund for Music. Ms. Kuan graduated cum laude from Smith College, received a Master of Music degree from the University of Illinois, and a Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory.
We are extremely grateful for the generous support of the Marks Family Fund for Professional Development in the Arts in making this event possible.
For more information, contact: Quoron Walker at quoron.walker@uconn.edu