Samy Moussa

Conductor / Composer

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Samy Moussa 2023-24 Biography English

Composer in Residence: Helsinki Philharmonic (2024/25)

Born in Montréal in 1984 and now based in Berlin, composer-conductor Samy Moussa is one of the world’s leading composers. Moussa’s work has been performed by many of the world’s most prestigious orchestras including Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has also featured as Artist in Residence at Toronto Symphony Orchestra and works closely with Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. The 2022/23 season saw the world premiere of his Trombone Concerto with Orchestre national de Lyon and trombonist Jörgen van Rijen, as well as the European premiere of his Second Symphony with BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Proms 2023, whilst Moussa himself made appearances as conductor with Musikkollegium Winterthur and Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Upcoming highlights in the 2023/24 season include the world premieres of Antigone, an oratorio for female chorus and orchestra conducted by Erik Nielsen with Dutch National Opera & Ballet, and a new work commissioned by Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra to be conducted by Manfred Honneck.

In the 2023/24 season, Moussa directs Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, as well as Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s Ensemble 10/10 and Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa. Recent seasons have seen him take up the baton to lead a range of repertoire from Classical to contemporary with Bayerisches Staatsorchester, RSO Wien, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig, Calgary Opera, Staatskapelle Halle and Zürcher Kammerorchester.

Regularly programmed by the world’s most prestigious orchestra’s, Moussa’s works have commissioned and performed by the likes of Wiener Philharmoniker, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, DSO Berlin, Dutch National Opera and Ballet, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Brussels Philharmonic. This season sees even more premiere orchestras take up his work with performances by NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. His works remain popular with internationally-renowned conductors such as Hannu Lintu, Manfred Honeck, Kent Nagano, Kevin John Edusei, Stéphane Denève, Christoph Eschenbach, Gustavo Gimeno and Fabien Gabel.

Moussa’s work has received regular acclaim from critics, juries and audiences alike. In 2020, Moussa became a Laureate of Fondation Banque Populaire, adding to his notable catalogue of accolades comprising the 2018 Villa Massimo Fellowship, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival’s 2017 Paul Hindemith Prize, the Ernst von Siemens 2013 Composers’ Prize, and a 2012 Bayerischen Kunstförderpreis for his work as Music Director of INDEX Ensemble.

Moussa completed his undergraduate studies at Université de Montréal under José Evangelista and postgraduate studies at Hochschule für Musik und Theater München under Matthias Pintscher and Pascal Dusapin, undertaking masterclasses with Pierre Boulez and courses with Salvatore Sciarrino.