Conductor Elim Chan achieves dream of working with a 'Ferrari' orchestra
Hong Kong musician Elim Chan realises ambition to work with a top orchestra on her way to winning a prestigious competition in London
"Someday I will conduct this again but with a real Ferrari," Elim Chan said to herself as she led the Smith College orchestra in the United States through a performance of Beethoven's Egmont Overture.
Last month, the 28-year-old Hong Kong conductor saw her dream come true when she conducted that very work to kick off the final of the Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition - a competition she was to win.
"LSO [London Symphony Orchestra] is really a Ferrari, taking off on the slightest cue," she said.
Chan had come a long way to be one of the three finalists at the prestigious international competition. Shortlisted from 225 applicants, she was the only Asian conductor and one of just two women in the 20 who made it into the first round.
"We had 15 minutes to work with the Guildhall Orchestra and were told what to conduct just before the session. I got the first and final movements of Beethoven's First Symphony and Bartok's Divertimento for Strings. A jury member told me to feel free to talk during rehearsal. So I spoke [to the players] on Bartok which is quite difficult in the mixed-metre beat," she said.
Chan was one of 10, and the only woman, to go to the second round to compete with concertos and contemporary works.
"I got the Dvorak Cello Concerto, plus a contemporary work commissioned by LSO. A judge told me they really wanted to hear my 'reading'. So I changed my game plan and stepped up the rehearsal.