The National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic is one of the most celebrated festival orchestras in the United States. Having received a GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Orchestral Performance in 2019 for their album of works by Ruggles, Stucky, and Harbison (Naxos 8.559836), its alumni occupy important positions in virtually every major symphony orchestra in the US.

Held annually since 1988 at the University of Maryland, the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic is a leader in orchestral training and creative programming, championing works by underrepresented composers alongside standards of the repertoire.

www.noi.umd.edu

British conductor James Judd first came to international attention as Lorin Maazel’s assistant at The Cleveland Orchestra. Four years later he returned to Europe as associate music director of Claudio Abbado’s European Community Youth Orchestra. He has since conducted numerous orchestras including the Berliner Philharmoniker and Gewandhausorchester Leipzig in prestigious European halls such as the Salzburg Mozarteum and Musikverein Vienna, and appeared with prestigious ensembles such as the Orchestre National de France, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and orchestras across the US.

His directorships have included principal guest conductor of the Orchestre National de Lille and the Asian Youth Orchestra, music director of, among others, the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra, and chief conductor of the Slovak Philharmonic. His successful educational Miami Music Project uses  El Sistema principles to enable children to achieve their full potential while positively influencing their society through music. Judd has amassed an extensive discography. Considered one of the pre-eminent interpreters of British orchestral music, his recordings are featured on the Naxos, Decca, EMI and Philips Records labels.

www.jamesjudd.net