Marin Alsop facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marin Alsop
Alsop, on the right, at a charity function in Baltimore in 2016
Background information
Born	(1956-10-16) October 16, 1956 (age 68) New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Classical
Occupation(s)	Conductor
Instruments	Violin
Associated acts	Colorado Symphony; Eugene Symphony; Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra; Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo; Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra

Marin Alsop (born October 16, 1956) is a famous American conductor. She is known for being the first woman to win the important Koussevitzky Prize for conducting. She was also the first conductor to receive a special award called a MacArthur Fellowship.

Marin Alsop has led many orchestras around the world. She is the music director laureate of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. She is also the chief conductor of the Ravinia Festival and the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Marin Alsop's Early Life and Education

Marin Alsop was born in New York City. Her parents, Ruth and Keith Alsop, were both professional musicians who played string instruments. She grew up in Manhattan.

Marin went to the Masters School. She studied the violin at the Juilliard School's Pre-College Division. She graduated from there in 1972.

She first went to Yale University to study mathematics. But she later transferred back to Juilliard. There, she earned degrees in violin in 1977 and 1978. While studying, she played with famous groups like the New York Philharmonic.

Marin Alsop's Conducting Career

Starting Her Career

Marin Alsop tried three times to get into Juilliard's conducting program, but she wasn't accepted. This didn't stop her! In 1981, she started her own group called the New York String Ensemble.

She also created a jazz group called String Fever. In 1984, she founded Concordia, a 50-piece orchestra. This orchestra focused on American music from the 20th century.

In 1989, she won the Koussevitzky Prize at the Tanglewood Music Center. This award was for being an outstanding student conductor. She was the first woman ever to win this prize. At Tanglewood, she met her hero, Leonard Bernstein, who became her mentor.

Leading Orchestras in the US

Marin Alsop was the music director for the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music from 1992 to 2016. She also led the Colorado Symphony as principal conductor and music director from 1993 to 2005.

She worked with several other orchestras too. These included the Eugene Symphony and the Long Island Philharmonic. In 2002, she helped create the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship. This program helps female conductors.

In 2005, Marin Alsop received a special award called a MacArthur Fellowship. This award is given to talented people in many fields.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

In September 2005, Marin Alsop was chosen to be the 12th music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. This was a big deal because she was the first woman to lead a major American orchestra.

Some orchestra members were unsure at first. But Marin Alsop worked hard to address their concerns. She successfully led the orchestra for many years. Her contract was extended multiple times, lasting until the 2020–2021 season. After that, she became the orchestra's music director laureate.

Marin Alsop started many cool programs with the Baltimore Symphony. These included a film series and a free podcast called Clueless About Classical. She also created the OrchKids program. This program helps children in Baltimore who might not have many opportunities.

In 2015, she became the director of graduate conducting at the Peabody Institute. This is a music school at Johns Hopkins University.

Other US Roles

In 2020, the Ravinia Festival named Marin Alsop as its first chief conductor. Her contract there was extended through 2025. In 2024, The Philadelphia Orchestra announced she would be their next principal guest conductor. This role starts with the 2024-2025 season.

She has also conducted the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra for the final rounds of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022 and 2025.

International Career

Alsop with OSESP

Marin Alsop has also had a big impact outside the United States. In the UK, she was the principal conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra from 2002 to 2008. She was the first female principal conductor for that orchestra.

In 2003, she was named Gramophone magazine's Artist of the Year. She also won the Royal Philharmonic Society's conductor's award.

In 2012, Marin Alsop became the principal conductor of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra (OSESP) in Brazil. She was the first female principal conductor for OSESP. She led the orchestra on their first European tour, including their first performance at the Proms in London.

Marin Alsop has conducted the Belgian National Orchestra several times. On September 7, 2013, she made history again. She became the first female conductor of the Last Night of The Proms. This is a very famous classical music concert in the UK. She returned to conduct the Last Night again in 2015 and 2023.

In 2019, she became the chief conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO Wien) in Austria. She was the first female chief conductor in that orchestra's history. She finished her time with RSO Wien at the end of the 2024–2025 season.

In June 2023, the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra announced Marin Alsop as their new artistic director and chief conductor. She is the first woman to hold these positions with that orchestra.

Marin Alsop's Family Life

Marin Alsop has a family. She has a son.

Marin Alsop's Recordings

Marin Alsop has made many recordings with different orchestras. Her first recording was in 2000 with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. It featured music by Samuel Barber.

She has recorded many works by famous composers like Dvořák and Johannes Brahms. Her recording of Leonard Bernstein's Mass with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In 2010, her recording of Jennifer Higdon’s Percussion Concerto won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition. She has also recorded works by Gustav Mahler and Aaron Copland.

Awards and Achievements

Marin Alsop has received many awards for her work.

Grammy Awards

Emmy Awards

Other Awards

See also

In Spanish: Marin Alsop para niños