Birmingham Royal Ballet has announced that Yi Wei, a Chinese conductor based in Manchester, has joined BRB and the Royal Ballet Sinfonia as the Constant Lambert Conducting Fellow for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons.
Named after the Founding Music Director of The Royal Ballet & Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Constant Lambert Fellowship, generously supported by Paul Ridout, provides a tailor-made programme for ballet conducting working across The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet. This unique 2-year Fellowship offers a blend of performance, study and cover conducting and is fully mentored by Koen Kessels, Music Director of The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet and Paul Murphy, Principal Conductor of Birmingham Royal Ballet, plus a range of other ballet music professionals.
Yi Wei’s first assignment in the role will be as Assistant Conductor on Birmingham Royal Ballet’s upcoming sold-out performances of Black Sabbath – The Ballet. He said; “It is such a privilege to join the BRB for the next two seasons, I am thrilled to start the season with Black Sabbath – The Ballet, very much looking forward to working with fantastic conductors, musicians and dancers.”
Paul Murphy, BRB’s Principal Conductor added; “We are delighted to welcome Yi Wei as our 3rd Constant Lambert Fellow, following on from Thomas Jung and Charlotte Politi. Both Thomas and Charlotte now have very successful careers in and out of the orchestra pit and each will return to conduct for BRB in the forthcoming season. The concept of the CLF sprang out of the success of the BBC Performing Arts Fellowship where Jonathan Lo worked closely with BRB for one year before becoming Music Director of Northern Ballet and now, The Australian Ballet.
“Yi Wei is a hugely talented young conductor and I feel sure that his tenure will also be a great success.”
Having achieved one of the highest final recital scores ever, Yi was awarded the Brierley / Kershaw Prize and obtained a postgraduate degree in Conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music in 2022. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Conducting from the China Conservatory of Music under the guidance of Youqing Yang.
Yi has conducted the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Academia China. He was also an assistant conductor at the 2021 BBC Proms with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
