Northwestern U.: Roderick Cox Wins Solti Award, is Chosen for Gatti Masterclass

Roderick Cox

Northwestern University

Roderick Cox, a 2011 Master of Music graduate of the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University and Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, has received the 2018 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award from the Solti Foundation U.S. The $30,000 prize is the largest grant awarded to young American conductors in the United States.

Recipients may use the financial grant in various ways to further their careers, whether it be academic or language study, purchase of scores, travel expense, etc. The award also brings valuable access to mentors and introductions within the industry. Previously, Cox received the Solti Foundation’s 2017 Career Assistance Award.

Cox was also recently chosen as one of four participants for the highly selective 2018 Daniele Gatti Masterclass with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. Other highlights of the 2017-18 season included conducting a second subscription concert week with the Minnesota Orchestra, concerts with the BBC Symphony Orchestra (London), Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and Seattle Symphony, and making his debut with the Omaha Symphony Orchestra.

Upcoming 2018 summer engagements include his debuts with the Grant Park Festival Symphony Orchestra in Chicago and Orchestra Metropolitan at the Launaudiere Festival. Season highlights in 2018-19 will include a subscription concert debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra with Cameron Carpenter in November 2018 and his opera debut with Houston Grand Opera in January 2019 in performances of Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de Perles.

A native of Macon, Georgia, Cox was awarded the Robert J. Harth Conducting Prize from the Aspen Music Festival in 2013, which led to national recognition and a return to the festival as a fellow. He has also held fellowships with the Chicago Sinfonietta as part of the Project Inclusion Program and the Chautauqua Music Festival, where he was a David Effron Conducting Fellow.

Cox previously served for two years as Assistant Conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra. He was named Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra’s in September 2016 following a year as the ensemble’s Assistant Conductor.

Last year, NBC News published a video profile of Cox titled, “African-American Conductor Making Noise in White-Dominated Field.” In the video, Cox discusses his early musical influences and his role and creative process as a conductor.