The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra has appointed Ballarat-born Benjamin Northey as Associate Conductor.

The Australian conductor will hold the newly created position – Patricia Riordan Associate Conductor Chair of the MSO – for three years. Having made his professional conducting debut with the MSO in 2003, Northey has been the MSO’s Education Conductor since 2009.

This new appointment is, in part, a result of financial contributions made to the orchestra by The Cybec Foundation under the stewardship of Melbourne philanthropist Roger Riordan, partner of the late Patricia Riordan.

An accomplished saxophonist, clarinetist and flautist, Northey was 29 when he began studying conducting. In 2001 he was Symphony Australia’s Young Conductor of the Year. After studying with Leif Segerstam at the prestigious Sibelius Academy, his 2005 diploma concert with the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra was awarded the international jury’s highest possible mark.

Northey will conduct the final concert in the MSO’s upcoming series of free concerts at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Saturday 19 February.