Strong ideas, lucid communication and intensely focused energy are among the qualities that define the Franco-British conductor as she continues to make her mark in both the symphonic and operatic repertoires. Childress spent much of the autumn of the 2023/24 season with the latter, making her debut at the Hamburg Staatsoper with a revival of David Bösch’s production of Die Entführung aus dem Serail before returning to Glyndebourne to conduct Mariame Clément’s production of Don Giovanni. Following the success of Le Nozze di Figaro at Glyndebourne last autumn, Opera Today commented that ‘it’s in the pit where this Don Giovanni is given exceptional life, with Stephanie Childress directing the Glyndebourne Sinfonia and revealing herself to be a Mozartian to her fingertips. She illuminates felicitous detail with well-judged pacing and a fine ear for balance.’
An impressive 2023/24 season includes debut performances with, among others, Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, the Dresden Philharmonic, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, as well as returns to the Barcelona Symphony and North Carolina Symphony Orchestras. She will also conduct Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking the Waves for Detroit Opera and close her season in July by making her debut with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Highlights in previous seasons have included concerts with l’Orchestre national d’Île-de-France, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, New World Symphony Orchestra as well as l’Orchestre de Paris and the London Symphony Orchestra. Childress recently concluded a three-year term as assistant conductor to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra where she conducted a number of subscription concerts, as well as leading performances with the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. Previously, she was also awarded 2nd prize at the inaugural competition ‘La Maestra’ at the Philharmonie de Paris in 2020.
A passionate advocate for amplifying the role of music within today’s world, Childress previously undertook an artistic residence at the Villa Albertine, a network for arts and ideas spanning France and the United States. She is also a member of the Franco-British Young Leaders’ Program, a scheme created by the Franco-British Council to further cooperation across both sides of the Channel. Stephanie is an active supporter of the Tri-borough Music Hub, an award-winning organisation for music education. She has taken part in several programmes with the association, including leading the junior string ensemble at an ‘Artists for Inclusivity’ event and speaking at the Youth Music Conference 2020 held at the Royal College of Music.
