Nicolò Foron was today [twenty-three March] announced as the winner of the seventeenth Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition, following three days of contest and incredible music-making at LSO St Luke’s, London. Internationally renowned as one of the world’s leading music competitions, the Competition’s prize package is unparalleled and will enable the 25-year elderly Italian-born German conductor to lay the foundations for a successful conducting career, following in the footsteps of esteemed previous winners such as Elim Chan, François-Xavier Roth and Clemens Schuldt.

After a thrilling Final Nicolò Foron, Jiří Habart and Jakub Przybycień each conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in pieces by Wagner, Grieg and Berlioz, Foron was chosen as the winner by an expert panel of judges, including David Alberman (chair), Sally Beamish, Martyn Brabbins, Sian Edwards, Juliana Koch and Sir Antonio Pappano. The Orchestra also had a collective vote as portion of the judging panel. Donatella Flick, the founder of the Competition, announced the winner along with David Alberman and HRH the Duke of Kent, whom the Contest was honoured to have in attendance. The Final was live streamed on medici.tv and hosted by Gramophone Editor-in-Chief James Jolly, and will presently be available to view globally on-demand for ninety days. Foron is awarded a £15.000 cash prize by Donatella Flick and becomes Helper Conductor with the London Symphony Orchestra for up to one year.

During this time, they'll work with the LSO’s Principal and visitor conductors on the preparation of concerts, frequently on the assessment of new scores; get portion in the LSO’s education and outreach programme, LSO Discovery; accompany the orchestra on tour and, should the opportunity arise, conduct the LSO in concert.