Hong Kong conductor Elim Chan set to make historic debut for London Symphony Orchestra

A musical landmark will be made tomorrow when Hong Kong-born Elim Chan becomes the first conductor from the city to direct the London Symphony Orchestra.

Chan will conduct the orchestra at its home, the Barbican Hall, in a concert to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its acclaimed Discovery series in education and outreach in the British capital.

It will be the first time for Chan, 28, to work with the band since winning the Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition last December which appointed her to be the first woman assistant conductor in the history of the orchestra in 111 years.

“This is a milestone for me and I am proud to be the first Hongkonger to conduct this great orchestra,” said Chan in an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post on the eve of her London debut.

“I am happy to join the lineage of local conductors such as Perry So, Lio Kuok-man, Jimmy Chiang and more who are active in the world stage of classical music. This shows musicians made in Hong Kong can be excellent,” she said.

Chan, who has a doctorate from the University of Michigan, is one of the few local musicians who is an artist of Harrison Parrott, an esteemed London-based agency that represents renowned conductor Neville Marriner and Edo de Waart, former artistic director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

Chan’s victory over some 200 contestants at last year’s competition launched her professional career. But it was her skills in meeting a special “test” posed by a top maestro that put her in the international music circuit.