Conducting across borders: Roderick Cox makes Asia debut with visionary Shostakovich performance
American conductor set to lead SPO in performing William Kentridge's 'Shostakovich 10: Oh To Believe in Another World'
Roderick Cox, a rising American conductor based in Berlin, is set to make his long-anticipated Asia debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra on May 30, leading a performance of 'Shostakovich 10: Oh To Believe in Another World' — a visually reimagined rendition of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10 by renowned South African artist William Kentridge.
Cox, making his first appearance in the region, was drawn to the project not only by his long-standing affinity for Shostakovich, but also by curiosity sparked by the interdisciplinary nature of the work.
'Sometimes one can be quite cautious when pairing a great symphony with something else — a piece of art that already stands powerfully on its own,' he said during an interview Tuesday at GS Arts Center in Seoul. 'But in this case, it looked very interesting, very new and something that could be very intriguing for our new audiences in 2025."
While Cox has previously worked on programs that included video elements aimed at reaching younger listeners, this marks his first experience with a full-scale visual collaboration of its kind. Behind the orchestra, Kentridge's film — featuring cardboard sets, cut-out masks and stop-motion animation — creates a constructivist aesthetic that echoes the stark imagery of Stalinist Russia.
'I think it's fascinating when you can engage multiple senses — to hear and see simultaneously. Maybe it allows for deeper connections, especially for those already familiar with this work. I'm looking forward to exploring that shared experience with our audience,' Cox added.
Still, Cox acknowledged with a laugh — and a note of concern — that the immersive visual setting might present an unusual challenge. 'I'm hoping that the video is not so interesting that it takes my focus off the actual music,' he said. 'Because performing Shostakovich's music requires such intensity, focus and concentration to really enter into this dark world the composer is conveying.'
Cox's career took off after winning the 2018 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award, one of the most prestigious honors for young conductors in the United States. The award provided him with international mentorship and the opportunity to expand his artistic horizons across Europe. He has since led performances with major orchestras and opera houses and is now the director of Opera National Montpellier Occitanie in France.
Raised in Macon, Georgia, Cox first encountered classical music through public school and community programs at the age of 8. Initially planning to become a teacher, he became intrigued by conducting in high school after watching his instructors shape sound and guide ensembles with physical gestures. 'I remember thinking, 'I want to do that,'' he recalled.
That early exposure gave him time to internalize the physical language of conducting before settling into fixed habits. 'Just like with an instrument, the earlier you start, the more natural it becomes.'
He went on to study at Northwestern University, where two key mentors — Mallory Thompson and Victor Yampolsky — shaped his path.
Yampolsky, in particular, encouraged him to take conducting seriously and pursue it professionally. Cox admitted that he was in a bubble while studying. Pointing out that the majority of his most influential teachers were female, he later found it surprising that there was an issue of a shortage of female conductors. Thompson, he recalled, always told him to never ever think he got or did not get an opportunity because of his identity.
'I think that sort of training at an early age really helped me not dismiss my identity or forget about it, but really focus on the music and the art and trying to be the best artist I can be,' he added.
Cox later served as assistant conductor at the Minnesota Orchestra under music director Osmo Vanska, further refining his skills in front of a top-tier ensemble. Vansaka served as the music director of the SPO from 2020 to 2022.
Having once received support from a local foundation when he chose to pursue music, Cox felt compelled to pay it forward. Nearly two decades later, he founded the Roderick Cox Music Initiative — a nonprofit that offers scholarships and mentorship to young musicians from historically underrepresented communities.
'It's about opening doors,' he says, 'for students who might not otherwise see a place for themselves in classical music.'
gypark@heraldcorp.com
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