Khac-Uyen, musical director

Khac-Uyen, the Vietnamese-Norwegian conductor, began his musical studies on the violin at the age of 5 with his father in Hanoi. As violinist he studied with Issac Shuldman at the Norwegian State Academy of Music in Oslo and David Takeno at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He works for 5 years as chamber musician in the UK and Norway, he also worked with Malmo Opera (Sweden), Beethoven Symphony orchestra (Germany), Kristiansand Chamber orchestra (Norway).

In 2005, Khac-Uyen completed the Post-Graduate Conducting studies with Colin Metters at the Royal Academy of Music. While at school he has won various prizes including the Robert Alva Memorial Prize, Mortimer Developement Fund, the Henry Wood Scholarship which enabled his studies. He had also studied with Sir Colin Davis, George Hurst, Kenneth Kiesler, Mark Shanahan, Jorma Panula, Martyn Brabbin.

Khac-Uyen founded the Verdandi Camerata in 2003, Ensemble Musicus it was then called. Verdandi Camerata was awarded the Concordia Prize toward it's successful London debut in 2005. This lead to invitation from the London Organ Forum to take part in the International Durufle conference in November 2005, where they premiered two of Durufle's orchestral works to critical acclaim.

Khac-Uyen has conducted the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Hebrides Ensemble, Klassische Philharmonie Bonn in Germany. He is also a guest conductor of the Suffolk Sinfonia, Southend Symphony Orchestra, London City Side Sinfonia, I Maestri Orchestra. Since 2009 Khac-Uyen became Music Director of the Southwark Sinfonia. Most recently in May 2012, Khac-Uyen conducted two concerts with the Vietnamese National Symphony Orchestra in Hanoi Grand Theater.


















Jean-Louis Gosselin, associate conductor

Jean-Louis Gosselin studied music in McGill Conservatory in Montreal, Canada, at the Conservatoire National de Lyon in France before graduating in 2004 from the Royal Academy of Music in orchestra conducting. Jean-Louis then went on to complete his Masters degree in musicology at King’s College London in 2008.

As a conductor, Jean Louis was Principal Conductor of Southend Symphony Orchestra from 2005 to 2008, where he conducted performances of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5, Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, both Concertos for 2 Pianos by Francis Poulenc and Malcolm Arnold, Alberto Ginastera’s Harp Concerto and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 7.

As a regular conductor of I Maestri, one of the leading amateur orchestras in London, Jean-Louis has conducted performances in St John’s Smith Square of Puccini’s La Bohème, Mahler’s Symphony No.5, Scriabin’s Piano Concerto, Walton’s Viola Concerto and, in May 2009, gave the UK premiere of Janacek’s Suite from the The Cunning Little Vixen arranged by Peter Breiner. He has worked with many soloists, including Maxym Rysanov, Nicholas Walker, Timothy Orpen and Giovanni Guzzo.

Jean-Louis made his debut with Verdandi Camerata on 30th October, where he, alongside BBC Radio actor Stephen Hogan and opera singer John Savournin, will give the UK premiere of Wynton Marsalis’ Fiddler’s Tale coupled with Igor Stravinsky’s Soldier’s Tale. Jean-Louis will also give his Cadogan Hall debut concert with Verdandi Camerata on 16th April 2011 where he and French soloists Anne and Maud Lovett will give the UK premiere of Elena Kats-Chernin’s anticipated double concerto for violin and piano, Selenite City, which he has specially commissioned.

www.jeanlouisgosselin.com