Alexander Shelley

Unanimously awarded first prize in the 2005 Leeds Conductors Competition, Shelley was described in the press as "the most exciting and gifted young conductor to have taken this highly prestigious award. His conducting technique is immaculate, everything crystal clear and a tool to his inborn musicality."

Principal Conductor of Nuernberger Symphoniker from September 2009, Shelley appears regularly with other orchestras in Germany this season including Hamburg Symphony, MDR Leipzig and Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, where he is also artistic director of their new and ground-breaking Zukunftslabor project.

During recent seasons Alexander Shelley's UK highlights include BBC Philharmonic and Britten Sinfonia at the BBC Proms, the inaugural Manchester International Festival, Philharmonia, City of Birmingham Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony and Northern Sinfonia. This season marks his debut with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

Well established in Scandinavia, he has been re-invited to Tivoli Festival for a fourth appearance in 2009 and following his opera debut with The Merry Widow at Royal Danish Opera, he returns in Spring 2011.

Other future highlights include his North American debut with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and three visits to Australia for a tour with the Australian Youth Orchestra, a tour of the regional orchestras and a re-invitation to Melbourne Symphony.

In 2001 Shelley founded the Schumann Camerata in Dusseldorf. He has now conducted this young chamber orchestra in over 80 concerts both in Germany and abroad. The son of professional musicians, Shelley studied conducting with Professor Thomas Gabrisch and has worked closely with Yan-Pascal Tortelier as assistant conductor with orchestras including the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.