Colombian-Italian conductor Stefano Boccacci has been appointed the new Leverhulme Conducting Fellow at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS).

The two-year Fellowship, in association with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) and Scottish Opera, is for conductors on the cusp of their careers, offering a highly sought-after step in the journey from study to the professional podium.

Stefano, a symphonic, opera and ballet conductor, will be mentored by the internationally acclaimed Martyn Brabbins, visiting professor of conducting at RCS.

Stefano has worked with orchestras and opera productions in Europe, Latin America and across the USA, including the Welsh National Opera Orchestra, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and alongside conductors Carlo Rizzi, Mark Wigglesworth, Giancarlo Guerrero, Earl Lee and Rune Bergmann.

He is a visiting conducting teacher at the University of Oxford and a visiting artist and orchestral tutor at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He recently completed two years at Yale University in Connecticut, where he worked as assistant conductor of the Yale Philharmonia, conducting teacher and orchestral tutor.

Stefano, who joins RCS in September 2025, said: “I am beyond thrilled to have received this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and honoured to have Martyn Brabbins as a mentor.

“This type of fellowship is a conductor’s dream, and I cannot wait to immerse myself in the cultural life of Glasgow and Scotland, to collaborate with the outstanding artists of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Opera, and I am really excited to work with Ryan Wigglesworth and Stuart Stratford.”

Martyn Brabbins, who was recently named incoming chief conductor at both the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra of India, said: “After an intense and varied audition process, Stefano emerged as the candidate with the ideal combination of conductorial skills.

“With the Fellowship intending to expand its reach, collaborating not only with the BBC SSO but also with Scottish Opera, Stefano impressed us as a musician with much to offer the whole range of Glasgow’s rich musical life. We all extend a warm welcome to Stefano as he embarks on this latest phase of his development as a conductor.”

Stefano will succeed current Leverhulme Fellow Riley Court-Wood, and follows in the footsteps of:

• Teresa Riveiro Böhm, associate conductor, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra
• Jessica Cottis, chief conductor, Canberra Symphony Orchestra
• Alvin Ho, assistant conductor, Naples Philharmonic
• Sergej Bolkhovets, assistant conductor, Gothenburg Opera
• Simon Proust, assistant conductor, Ensemble Intercontemporain

Dominic Parker, Director of BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, said: “Our warmest congratulations to Stefano Boccacci and we look forward to an exciting range of collaborations ahead, as the Leverhulme Conducting Fellowship continues to flourish as a launchpad for emerging talent.

“Many thanks and best wishes to Riley Court-Wood for his invaluable work with the orchestra and chief conductor Ryan Wigglesworth – his recent success at the Tokyo International Conducting Competition, along with his memorable contributions during our residency in Oban, are a testament to his artistic potential.”

The Leverhulme Conducting Fellow has access to rehearsals at BBC SSO, Scottish Opera, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Hebrides Ensemble and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and will act as assistant to Ryan Wigglesworth, chief conductor of the BBC SSO, when he is in Glasgow. The Fellow will also accompany the orchestra to its rehearsals and concerts at the BBC Proms and Edinburgh International Festival.

In their second year, the Fellow will act as assistant conductor for the inaugural collaborative production with Scottish Opera as part of the Advanced Artist Diploma in Opera, which prepares artists with outstanding vocal talent for professional success on the world’s stages.

Stefano will be mentored by Scottish Opera Music Director Stuart Stratford, who already coaches conducting students at RCS. This new Fellowship marks a significant milestone in the evolving partnership between Scottish Opera and RCS.

Stuart Stratford, Music Director of Scottish Opera, said: “We are delighted to welcome Stefano into the Scottish Opera family as part of this expanded Fellowship programme.

“The deepening partnership with RCS allows us to create truly meaningful pathways for emerging conductors, bridging the crucial gap between training and professional experience.

“Working with Stefano will be particularly rewarding as we prepare for our production that will be staged in Glasgow and Edinburgh and represents an exciting new chapter in opera training and performance in Scotland.

“His diverse experience and evident passion for both symphonic and operatic repertoire make him an ideal candidate to benefit from this unique opportunity.”

Stefano will soon complete his PhD studies at the Université de Strasbourg, with a research project focusing on the programming and production of 20^th-century chamber operas by Xenakis, Weill and Piazzolla.

While at Yale, he was also assistant conductor of the Yale Philharmonia, working alongside Peter Oundjian, who was musical director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra from 2012 to 2018.

Stefano commented: “I had a wonderful time working with the musicians of Yale University, the Yale Philharmonia and collaborating with wonderful guest conductors. I was mentored by Peter Oundjian, had the chance to work with soloists such as Augustin Hadelich, collaborated with composer Joan Tower and went on tour to Carnegie Hall.

“I also had the beautiful opportunity to work with the music students in local public schools in Connecticut. It meant a great deal to be able to connect with the local community and to contribute to the musical education of the young musicians in the area.”