Canadians Juliane Gallant and Jennifer Tung are named the inaugural Conductors in the landmark national conducting fellowship Women in Musical Leadership. 

Women in Musical Leadership is an innovative multi-year professional opportunity to advance music directors and conductors and richly expand the talent pool of musical leadership in Canada. The three-year program is for 6 participants in cohorts of 2, beginning a year apart.

The initiative, first announced in October 2020, is led and coordinated by Canada’s leading producer of contemporary opera Tapestry Opera, in partnership with Pacific Opera Victoria, Lead Orchestral Partner Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and in collaboration with leading opera and music organizations across Canada.

In a joint statement, Tapestry Opera’s Artistic and General Director Michael Mori and Executive Director Jaime Martino said: 

“Jennifer and Juliane are two of the brightest talents that Canada has to offer, emerging at the top in a very competitive first year. They exemplify the talent, passion, and great potential of women and non-binary musicians in Canada, who through this program will be provided the opportunities to build a deep and well-rounded foundation as conductors and music directors. This fellowship is a celebration of Canadian companies from coast to coast coming together to train the next generation of musical leadership. We thank our partners and welcome Juliane and Jennifer to an exciting next three years.”

New Brunswick-born Juliane Gallant is a conductor, pianist, and coach, with degrees from the Université de Moncton, the University of Ottawa, and the Conservatoire de musique et d’art dramatique de Montréal. She is returning to Canada from the UK where she trained at the National Opera Studio and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. 

“I am absolutely thrilled to be taking part in Women in Musical Leadership. This fellowship has given me a huge gift, the opportunity to finally focus entirely on conducting over an extended period of time. I can’t wait to meet new opera companies, new orchestras, new scores, and new musicians as I continue to learn and grow as an artist. I am looking forward to every single part of this fellowship, and can’t wait to get started!” - Conductor Juliane Gallant

Etobicoke-based Jennifer Tung is the Artistic Director of Toronto City Opera, Mississauga Children's Choir and Assistant Conductor of the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra. She was Assistant Conductor for Tapestry Opera and Opera on the Avalon’s Dora award-winning Shanawdithit by Dean Burry and Yvette Nolan, and is on faculty at the Glenn Gould School. She holds degrees in vocal performance and collaborative piano from the Eastman School of Music and studies conducting with Denis Mastromonaco.

"Looking at my musical journey so far, from concert pianist to vocalist to collaborative pianist/vocal coach, I have loved (and still love) every part of this journey but it is when I found conducting that I finally feel like I am home. I am so humbled and excited to be awarded this fellowship so I can focus on learning from the fantastic mentors as well as getting experiences on the podium that will help me hone this incredibly complex craft. I look forward to collaborating with many phenomenal musicians, to learn from them and to share my passion with them.  Thank you for making it possible for me to realize my dream." - Conductor Jennifer Tung 

Gallant and Tung will be mentored by veteran conductors Rosemary Thomson (Okanagan Symphony and Opera Kelowna) and JoAnn Falletta(Buffalo Philharmonic), alongside ongoing support from accomplished conducting advisors including Pacific Opera Victoria’s Artistic Director Timothy Vernon and Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director Gustavo Gimeno.

Their fellowship begins at the end of January. Applications for the second cohort will reopen in late 2021.

Photo: Juliane Gallant and Jennifer Tung.