Elim Chan

Elim Chan (Chinese: 陳以琳; born 18 November 1986) is a Hong Kong conductor. Elim Chan has been the chief conductor of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra from the 2019-2020 concert season, and has been the permanent guest conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra from the 2018-2019 season.

Early life

In 1986, Chan was born in Hong Kong. As a youth, she played cello and piano, and sang in choirs. Chan attended the Good Hope School (Form One).

Education

Chan was a sixth-form student at Li Po Chun United World College in Hong Kong.

Chan began studies at Smith College in the US with the initial intent of becoming a medical doctor. Following an initial experience in conducting during her second year of college, she changed her path of study and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music in 2009.

Chan moved to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor for graduate studies in music. At Michigan, her teachers included Kenneth Kiesler. She was music director of the University of Michigan Campus Symphony Orchestra, and of the Michigan Pops Orchestra (2012-2013). She earned her MM degree in orchestra conducting from Michigan in 2011, and her Doctor of Musical Arts in 2015.

Career

In December 2014, at age 28, Chan won the Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition, the first female conductor to win the competition in its history. As part of winning the competition, she was subsequently named assistant conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, for a one-year contract from 2015–2016. She has also participated in master classes in conducting with Bernard Haitink.

In April 2016, NorrlandsOperan announced the appointment of Chan as its next chief conductor, effective in 2017, with an initial contract of 3 years. In January 2017, she made her first guest-conducting appearance with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO). She returned as guest conductor with the RSNO a fortnight later as an emergency substitute for Neeme Järvi. Based on these appearances, in June 2017, the RSNO appointed Chan as its next principal guest conductor, effective 2018.

In November 2017, Chan first guest-conducted the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. She returned as guest conductor in Antwerp in March 2018. Based on these appearances, in May 2018, the orchestra announced the appointment of Chan as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2019–2020 season. Chan is both the first female conductor, and the youngest conductor, ever to be named chief conductor of the orchestra.

Personal life

Elim Chan is engaged to the Dutch percussionist Dominique Vleeshouwers, who was awarded the Dutch Music Prize (Nederlandse Muziekprijs) in 2020.