Ankush Bahl

Ankush Kumar Bahl needs little introduction to Ridgefield audiences after his conducting of two RSO concerts including Berlioz' Symphonie fantastique and Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, respectively, both of which received rave reviews.

Described as an "energetic" conductor who leads with "clear authority and enthusiasm" by the New York Times after his Carnegie Hall debut, Mr. Bahl is currently in his second season as the Music Director of the New Jersey Youth Symphony. He spent his formative years in the San Francisco Bay Area receiving a double Bachelors Degree in Music and Rhetoric from the University of California at Berkeley. He has been a conducting fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and completed his Master's Degree in conducting at the Manhattan School of Music.

Mr. Bahl lives in New York City where he is on the conducting staff at the Manhattan School and has been a cover conductor for the New Jersey Symphony. This past season he concluded his three year tenure as the Music Director of the Ridgefield Symphony Youth Orchestra and Assistant Conductor of the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. Local reviewers have described Mr. Bahl as "energetic," "passionate," "sensitive," and "impressive," while also observing his "total mastery of the evening's scores, a fine conducting technique, and the obvious respect of his musicians." Additional guest conducting over the 2006-07 season will include the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, the Chelsea Symphony, a summer tour to Ireland, and his debut with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Bahl currently spends his summers in Switzerland as the Music Director of the International Goppisberg Music Festival.