Meet Charlotte Politi, Our Constant Lambert Fellowship Conductor

The Royal Ballet Sinfonia’s new Constant Lambert Fellowship Conductor tells us about her passion for music.

Named after the Founding Music Director of the Royal Ballet companies, the Constant Lambert Fellowship is a joint initiative with The Royal Ballet designed for conductors aspiring to gain the particular skills required to conduct for ballet. The mentoring is led by Koen Kessels, Music Director of both companies, and Paul Murphy, our Principal Conductor.

This autumn we are delighted to welcome Charlotte Politi.

How did you discover your passion for conducting?

As a child I loved playing in orchestras. Later I became passionate about scores, recordings of orchestral music. Conducting came slowly and naturally to me. I can’t think of a specific moment where I decided I wanted to become a conductor. Now when I think back, it seems it’s something I always wanted to do, even before I could put in words what it means to be a conductor.

How did that lead to conducting for ballet?

What attracted me to ballet is the wonderful repertoire. Furthermore, I’ve always liked the idea of working in collaboration with art forms, other than music. I love the theatre company life, and the spirit of collaborations between arts.

What are your memories of your first professional engagement?

My first professional engagement was in opera. I loved the feeling of being involved in a theatre production that includes not only music, but also stage direction, costume design, set design, and so forth. Conducting a show of over three hours flew by, because of how everybody was so connected in the story telling.

What do you hope to get out of the scheme?

I hope to learn from every musician, to be inspired by every artist I will get to work with. I hope I will be able to give a positive constructive contribution and at the same time to develop my skills and grow in my profession.