Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s Cybec Assistant Conductor Leonard Weiss has bagged two major awards, just days before taking up his post as Conducting Fellow at the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts.

Last week, the Canberra-born conductor won the 21st Khachaturian International Competition in Armenia, and it was announced overnight that he has also taken home the 14th Berlin Music Opera Award – presented by the Opera Foundation for Young Australians in association with the Deutsche Oper Berlin, where Weiss will spend five months next year.

Leonard Weiss at the Khachaturian International Competition. Photo supplied

Announcing Weiss’s win in Yerevan, MSO CEO Richard Wigley said, “We are immensely proud of Leonard Weiss, our Cybec Assistant Conductor, on his recent success at the prestigious Khachaturian International Competition. Leonard’s artistry and dedication are truly inspiring, and this achievement is a testament to his remarkable talent and hard work. He is a worthy recipient of this honour, and we are thrilled to celebrate his continued success.”

The competition, established in 2003 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of composer Aram Khachaturian’s birth, is a member of the World Federation of International Musical Competitions and hosted by the Armenian...