# Andrew Gourlay > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Andrew_Gourlay > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Andrew_Gourlay.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Gourlay > Source revision: 1348311701 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British conductor (born 1982) Andrew Gourlay Andrew Gourlay in 2017 Born 1982 (age 43–44) Jamaica Alma mater Royal Northern College of Music University of Manchester Royal College of Music Occupation Conductor of classical music Website www.andrewgourlay.com **Andrew Gourlay** (born 1982) is a British conductor. Born in Jamaica, Gourlay was subsequently raised in the Bahamas, the Philippines, Japan and the United Kingdom.[1] He is of Russian ancestry.[2] Gourlay began his musical training on the piano and the trombone. As a trombonist in his early twenties, he played with such orchestras as the [Philharmonia](/source/Philharmonia_Orchestra), [BBC Philharmonic](/source/BBC_Philharmonic), [BBC National Orchestra of Wales](/source/BBC_National_Orchestra_of_Wales), [Hallé Orchestra](/source/The_Hall%C3%A9) and the [London Sinfonietta](/source/London_Sinfonietta). He was a member of the [Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester](/source/Gustav_Mahler_Jugendorchester), with whom he played under the baton of their founder, [Claudio Abbado](/source/Claudio_Abbado).[3][4] Gourlay studied at the [Royal Northern College of Music](/source/Royal_Northern_College_of_Music) and [University of Manchester](/source/University_of_Manchester), before specialising in conducting at the [Royal College of Music](/source/Royal_College_of_Music) in London, where he prepared orchestras for [Bernard Haitink](/source/Bernard_Haitink) and [Sir Roger Norrington](/source/Roger_Norrington). He acted as cover conductor for Kurt Masur, Valery Gergiev, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Sir Colin Davis, twice replacing Davis at the Barbican Centre, London. In 2010, he won First Prize at the [Cadaqués Orchestra International Conducting Competition](/source/Cadaqu%C3%A9s_Orchestra_International_Conducting_Competition).[5] From 2010 to 2012, he was assistant conductor to [Sir Mark Elder](/source/Sir_Mark_Elder) and [The Hallé](/source/The_Hall%C3%A9).[4] In 2014, Gourlay became Principal Guest Conductor of the [Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León](/source/Castile_and_Le%C3%B3n_Symphony_Orchestra).[6] In 2015, the orchestra named Gourlay its Music Director, with an initial 3-year contract. This was extended until August 2020. Concert subscription increased by 45% during his tenure.[7] Gourlay oversaw the launch in 2019 of the orchestra's in-house label, releasing its first disc of music by [Rachmaninoff](/source/Rachmaninoff), followed by [Shostakovich](/source/Dmitri_Shostakovich) Symphony no.10, both conducted by Gourlay. Gourlay has worked worldwide as a guest conductor. At the BBC Proms he has conducted the 40th Anniversary celebration of BBC Young Musician of the Year, multiple Proms with the London Sinfonietta, Ravel's *[Daphnis et Chloé](/source/Daphnis_et_Chlo%C3%A9)* and the world premiere of *Wunderkammer* by [Danny Elfman](/source/Danny_Elfman) with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. In opera, he has conducted for the Royal Opera House, Birmingham Opera Company and the Aldeburgh Festival, including critically acclaimed productions of Tippett’s *[The Ice Break](/source/The_Ice_Break)* with Sir Graham Vick in 2015 and Coult’s *Violet* in its 2022 premiere.[8][9] In 2025, Gourlay conducted Glyndebourne's world première production of Jonathan Dove's opera "Uprising". In 2019, [Schott Music](/source/Schott_Music) published *Parsifal Suite*, a 45-minute suite of orchestral music from Wagner's [Parsifal](/source/Parsifal), constructed by Gourlay.[10] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Letelier, Jorge (12 August 2011). ["Joven director britanico estrena obras de autores chilenos"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150402195334/http://diario.latercera.com/2011/08/12/01/contenido/cultura-entretencion/30-79861-9-joven-director-britanico-estrena-obras-de-autores-chilenos.shtml). *La Tercera*. Archived from [the original](http://diario.latercera.com/2011/08/12/01/contenido/cultura-entretencion/30-79861-9-joven-director-britanico-estrena-obras-de-autores-chilenos.shtml) on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Scherzo_2-0)** *Andrew Gourlay* in *Scherzo* no.348, February 2019, p. 58-59. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Andrew Gourlay: "Me entusiasma dirigir a la orquesta mas antigua de chile""](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070734/http://www.lanacion.cl/noticias/cultura-y-entretencion/musica/andrew-gourlay-me-entusiasma-dirigir-a-la-orquesta-mas-antigua-de-chile/2011-08-11/170817.html). La Nacion. Archived from [the original](http://www.lanacion.cl/noticias/cultura-y-entretencion/musica/andrew-gourlay-me-entusiasma-dirigir-a-la-orquesta-mas-antigua-de-chile/2011-08-11/170817.html) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2015. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-halle_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-halle_4-1) ["Andrew Gourlay appointed Assistant Conductor of the Halle"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150923204756/http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_news.php?id=1461). *The Hallé*. 26 March 2010. Archived from [the original](http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_news.php?id=1461) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Morgades, Lourdes (9 June 2010). ["El britanico Andrew Gourlay gana el concurso de directores de la Orquesta de Cadaques"](http://cultura.elpais.com/cultura/2010/06/09/actualidad/1276034411_850215.html). *El Pais*. Retrieved 12 March 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Gourlay sustituye a Petrenko como director invitado de la Oscyl"](http://kioskoymas.abc.es/noticias/comunidad-castillaleon/20140531/abcp-gourlay-sustituye-petrenko-como-20140531.html). *ABC*. 31 May 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Andrew Gourlay dejará la OSCyL en agosto"](https://www.europapress.es/castilla-y-leon/noticia-andrew-gourlay-dejara-oscyl-agosto-consejo-asesor-estudiara-propuestas-relevo-20200303181204.html). *Europa Press*. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Richard Bratby (5 April 2015). ["The Ice Break, Birmingham Opera Company review: A masterpiece"](http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/ice-break-birmingham-opera-company-8986388). *Birmingham Post*. Retrieved 9 March 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Alexandra Coghlan (4 June 2022). ["Violet is the best new British opera in years"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/classical-music/violet-aldeburgh-festival-review-best-new-british-opera-years/). *The Telegraph*. Retrieved 3 October 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** "Opera without words" in *Schott Journal - News for Music Makers*, January/February 2020, D 44049, by Schott Music. p. 10 and p. 15. ## External links - [Andrew Gourlay official website](http://www.andrewgourlay.com/) - [Groves Artists agency page on Andrew Gourlay](http://www.grovesartists.com/artist/andrew-gourlay/) - [*Parsifal Suite*, constructed by Andrew Gourlay](http://en.schott-music.com/shop/parsifal-suite-no405002.html), published by Schott Music Cultural offices Preceded by Lionel Bringuier Music Director, Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León 2016–2022 Succeeded by Thierry Fischer Authority control databases International VIAF National United States Poland Artists MusicBrainz --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Andrew Gourlay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Gourlay) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Gourlay?action=history)). 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