Two regions of origin, one signature: Cannes and Miraval unveil an exceptional vintage
27/04/2026
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Music
Holly Hyun Choe
Music Director of Orchestre national de Cannes
Holly Hyun Choe has been appointed Music Director of the Cannes National Orchestra from the 2026/2027 season, for a four-season term.
Born in South Korea and raised in Los Angeles, the rising star conductor Holly Hyun Choe is renowned for her radiant presence, her creative programming and her captivating artistry on the podium. Winner in 2025 of the prestigious Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award presented by the Solti Foundation U.S., she was appointed to two major conducting posts in 2026: principal conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra (KORK), where she conducted her inaugural concert in January 2026, and music director-designate of the Cannes National Orchestra, with effect from the 2026/27 season. A highly sought-after guest conductor in both Europe and the United States, the highlights of the 2025–2026 season include Holly Hyun Choe’s debut in South Korea at the helm of the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra during the Seoul Arts Centre Orchestra Festival, her debut with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, the Gürzenich Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra, subscription concerts with the Hamburg State Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as her final appearance as Associate Artist with the Geneva Chamber Orchestra, following acclaimed projects such as Gerald Barry’s *Alice’s Adventures Under Ground* at the Grand Théâtre de Genève.
Highlights of recent seasons have included her debut in her home city with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in May 2025, where she was a Dudamel Fellow, as well as return appearances with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, the Orchestre de Paris, the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra and a tour with the Kammerakademie Potsdam. She has also conducted the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and the Odense Symphony Orchestra, as well as the symphony orchestras of Tucson, Spokane and Oakland in the United States.
Deeply committed to promoting the works of female composers, she programmed – last season alone – pieces by Kaija Saariaho, Joan Tower, Anna Meredith, Valerie Coleman, Julia Wolfe, Camille Pépin, Molly Joyce, Marta Kowalczuk, Charlotte Bray, Therese Ulvo, Grażyna Bacewicz, Ruth Gipps, Amy Beach and Clara Schumann. Her most recent recording features Ethel Smyth’s ‘Serenade for Orchestra’ on the album *LAUTER!* released by Solaire Records with the Ensemble Reflektor.
Her previous positions include principal conductor of the Ensemble Reflektor (2022–2025) and assistant conductor of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich under Paavo Järvi (2020–2022).
Her musical journey began as a self-taught musician: she learnt the clarinet at the age of thirteen and did not receive her first formal lessons until she was nineteen. She studied conducting with Johannes Schlaefli at the Zurich University of the Arts (graduating in 2023), as well as with Charles Peltz at the New England Conservatory, and has assisted, amongst others, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel, Fabio Luisi, Simone Young and Xian Zhang. Her career has also been supported by a Gustavo Dudamel Fellowship from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Forum Dirigieren of the German Music Council, the Career Assistance Award from the Solti Foundation, a grant from the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship, and the mentoring programme of the Peter Eötvös Foundation.
“To me, Cannes is a creative hub where legacies of poets, painters, and visionaries converge. With the Orchestre national de Cannes, we aspire to establish ourselves as a distinguished institution mirroring the city’s cosmopolitan spirit through interdisciplinary formats combining visuals, dancers, and film, while collaborating with global artists. By weaving diverse styles and eras, we aim to resonate with the international public, enriching our urban fabric and reminding all that Cannes beats to the rhythm of high art.”
