Young Australian conductor Sam Weller has been selected as one of the six winners of the International Conducting Competition Rotterdam (ICCR) after competing in the semifinals, which took place from 17–19 June.

Weller will participate in a year-long career development program before participating in the final round of the competition from 1–13 June, 2025. 

Sam Weller. Photo © Kirsten van Santen

“I’m really thrilled to represent Australia at an international level. It was a real pleasure meeting so many great conducting colleagues who I have admired from afar,” Weller tells Limelight.

“It was a pretty daunting task, trying to give the jury a full musical CV in 20-minute blasts each round, but a mentor told me to be uncompromisingly myself, and it seems to have paid off.”

In 2025, Weller will compete alongside Luis Castillo-Briceño (Costa Rica), Yukuang Jin (China), Jakub Przybycień (Poland), Rodrigo Sámano Albarrán (Mexico) and Miguel Sepúlveda (Portugal) in five different rounds: Classical, Contemporary, Proms Open Air Concert, Opera and Large Symphonic. 

The Grand Prix...