FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Leeds, 12th April 2014 ### Leeds based Slovenian Conductor wins London Conducting Competition Aljoša Škorja is very happy to let you know he has won the London Classical Soloists Conducting Competition, held at various venues across London between 6th and 9th April 2015. “You are the man to watch!” said Richard Gammons, a member of the competition jury and Achim Holub, the orchestra’s Artistic Director added, “The orchestra played absolutely brilliantly under your baton!” Aljoša Škorja or, Josh, as he is usually known in England, studied musicology and later choral conducting at the University of Ljubljana, before moving to Manchester in 2011 to pursue a postgraduate degree in conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music. He moved to Leeds two years later, after being appointed Director of Music at St. Matthew’s Parish Church in Chapel Allerton. In this post he has already made a name for himself, hosting several very successful workshops. In November he conducted Mozart’s Requiem with the West Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra to mark the Centenary of the start of the First World War and, more recently, in March, Buxtehude’s Membra Iesu Nostri with Renaissance Voices and Ad Hoc Baroque. The competition was the culmination of the several-day-long conducting workshop with one of London’s best chamber orchestras. In the final concert Josh conducted Beethoven’s 7th Symphony. “You were a clear winner,” said the orchestra’s principal clarinettist, agreeing with a unanimous vote from a five-member jury. “I am very exited about this honour, more over as it earns me an invitation to work with these brilliant musicians in their 2015/16 season,” says Aljoša, summing up his impressions. You can hear Josh in action later in May, with the Otley Chamber Orchestra, and sing with him in November - he will be conducting a Come and Sing! Messiah as a fundraiser for MacMillan. He is also hoping to bring the London orchestra on a mini tour to Leeds and Manchester. Make sure you follow him on Twitter to keep up to date! ###ENDS###
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