Episode 73 – In Conversation with Jonathan Lo

This episode is a Ballet Piano Podcast classic In Conversation with music director Jonathan Lo.  He is the current music director at The Australian Ballet, but was previously a conductor at The Royal Ballet, and music director of Northern Ballet.

With a typical Asian upbringing, he says he started playing piano young to enrich his education, but quickly knew he wanted to be a conductor.  He won an organ scholarship for Oxford University and began conducting the chamber choir, before his career took off at the Manchester Chamber Choir where he was appointed music director.

For someone so young, Jonny has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of ballet music and is certainly vocal about the philosophies surrounding what it is we do.  What comes across in this episode is his passion and confidence.  He isn’t frightened of making bold decisions at the podium, and he can justify his actions.

Very much sought after as a guest conductor, his diary is full, but this episode is a dive into the psyche of one of the world’s leading conductors.