Violinist Emily Davis will share the leadership role with Roberto Ruisi as the orchestra heads into its 2024/25 season
The Hallé Orchestra in Manchester has announced the appointment of Emily Davis as its new leader, alongside current leader Roberto Ruisi. Davis will share the leader seat with Ruisi from the 2024/25 season under the orchestra’s new principal conductor, Kahchun Wong.
’Joining the Hallé as Leader is an immensely joyful moment for me,’ said Davis. ’Having attended Chetham’s School of Music as a teenager, I have a great love for both Manchester and the Hallé. I spent many formative moments watching this wonderful orchestra at The Bridgewater Hall, and am very proud to now be able to call it my new musical home.’
Davis previously held the position of concertmaster with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in Norway and was concertmaster of the European Union Youth Orchestra for two years while she was a student.
As a guest leader, she has performed with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
As a soloist, she has performed in festivals and venues across the world, with highlights including Arvo Pärt’s Fratres with Vasily Petrenko at the Pärnu Festival in Estonia, Piazzolla’s Four Seasons at the Bergen International Festival, and the Cuban premiere of Vaughan Williams’s The Lark Ascending. She also directs larger chamber ensembles and is founder of ‘Thirteen North’ – an ensemble influenced by both classical and folk music.
Davis will make her debut as Leader of the Hallé on Thursday 3 October in a concert featuring Stravinsky’s The Firebird. Conducted by Kahchun Wong, the concert is part of the orchestra’s new Rush Hour series, at The Bridgewater Hall.
David Butcher, CEO of the Hallé, said: ’We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Emily Davis to the Hallé family. Emily is an exceptional leader, soloist and chamber musician and the perfect choice to lead our orchestra’s dynamic musicians alongside Roberto Ruisi.’
Ruisi commented that he was ’absolutely delighted to be sharing this special role alongside [Emily], as we venture into an exciting new era of music-making for this wonderful orchestra.’
Read: The Hallé announces first new concertmaster in 25 years
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