Role

:

Conductor

Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Opera

 

Brad Cohen is a renowned conductor and pianist in the classical music industry. He was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1974, and grew up in a family of musicians. His father was a professional pianist, and his mother was a music teacher. From a young age, Cohen showed a keen interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of four. Cohen's musical talent was evident from an early age, and he quickly became a prodigy. He began performing in public at the age of six and won his first piano competition at the age of eight. He continued to win numerous competitions throughout his childhood and teenage years, including the prestigious Australian National Piano Award in 1992. After completing his undergraduate studies in music at the University of Melbourne, Cohen moved to Europe to further his musical education. He studied conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hamburg, Germany. During this time, he also worked as a pianist and conductor for various orchestras and opera companies throughout Europe. Cohen's breakthrough moment came in 2003 when he was appointed as the principal conductor of the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra. This was a significant achievement for Cohen, as he was only 29 years old at the time, making him one of the youngest conductors to lead a major orchestra in Australia. During his tenure with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra, Cohen led the orchestra in numerous critically acclaimed performances, including a highly praised performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 2 in 2005. He also collaborated with some of the world's leading soloists, including pianist Stephen Hough and violinist Maxim Vengerov. In 2007, Cohen was appointed as the principal conductor of the Queensland Orchestra, which was later renamed the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. During his time with the orchestra, Cohen continued to build his reputation as one of Australia's leading conductors. He led the orchestra in numerous performances, including a highly praised performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in 2010. Cohen's international career also began to take off during this time. He was invited to conduct various orchestras throughout Europe, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London and the Orchestre National de Lille in France. He also made his debut at the Royal Opera House in London in 2011, conducting a production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. In 2013, Cohen was appointed as the principal conductor of the Staatsorchester Braunschweig in Germany. This was a significant achievement for Cohen, as it made him one of the few Australian conductors to hold a permanent position with a major European orchestra. During his time with the orchestra, Cohen led the orchestra in numerous critically acclaimed performances, including a highly praised performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 5 in 2015. Cohen's international career continued to flourish, and he was invited to conduct various orchestras throughout Europe and Asia. He also made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2017, conducting a production of Mozart's Così fan tutte. Cohen has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. In 2005, he was awarded the prestigious Brian Stacey Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to outstanding young Australian conductors.

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