Young conducting talent, Sam Weller, 27, is marking his mark on the Dutch music scene. After moving from Sydney to the Netherlands in 2020 to study conducting at the Amsterdam Conservatory, he is carving out a life for himself in Europe. His musical activity this year – and more specifically over the past two weeks – have thrust him into the spotlight.

I catch up with Weller moments after he steps off the De Doelen stage in his latest challenge as one of the six designated winners of the International Conducting Competition in Rotterdam. Various events over the last 12 months on top of his work as a freelance conductor have kept him busy. Abseiling down Rotterdam’s Euromast tower and visiting Austria’s Esterházy Palace have intertwined with career-focused chats hosted by branding experts and leading conductors such as Klaus Mäkelä, Lahav Shani and Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

A copy of today’s Trouw, a Dutch daily newspaper sits open beside us, Weller’s comments on the latest bullying allegations faced by Dutch conductor Jaap van Zweden a sharp reminder of the very public life conductors lead.