Riley Court-Wood: A Rising Voice on the Podium

Still early in his career, British conductor Riley Court-Wood is already establishing a compelling presence on international podiums. Currently the Leverhulme Conducting Fellow at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he has worked closely with leading ensembles including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Opera and the Hebrides Ensemble. Following his award-winning appearance at the 2024 Tokyo Conducting Competition – where he received both Second Prize and the Audience Prize – Court-Wood is poised for a significant year ahead, with engagements that include a return to Japan to conduct the NHK Symphony Orchestra and a debut with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin as part of their ‘Rising Star’ series. With a background as a professional violinist and previous appointments in the UK and the Middle East, he brings a grounded musicianship and quietly charismatic authority to his work. In this interview, he reflects on recent milestones, artistic influences, and what continues to shape his evolving approach to the conductor’s craft.

Serenade Team: Last October, you were awarded both the Second Prize and the Audience Prize at the Tokyo Conducting Competition. How did that experience shape your approach to conducting, and what did you take away from it personally and musically?

Riley Court-Wood: It was a huge honour to be a prize winner in Tokyo, and I felt incredibly fortunate, especially as it was my first ever competition. It’s always nice to be appreciated for what you do, but I really believe competitions are somewhat of a lottery. Of course, I worked very hard in the lead-up to the competition, but many very talented conductors were knocked out in earlier rounds. So personally, it was a lovely bit of validation, but I try not to let it affect me too much in terms of my work. For better or worse, competitions have become a major part of the conducting world, especially for young people trying to build their careers. I understand the need for them, but music isn’t like sport, with clear winners and losers.

ST: Your upcoming return to Japan to conduct the NHK Symphony Orchestra marks another significant milestone. What repertoire will you be working on, and how are you preparing for such a prestigious engagement?

RCW: The concert will be a 'prize winners' show, so each of the three winners from last year's Tokyo Conducting Competition will perform a piece. Hopefully it will be great fun and have a celebratory atmosphere.

I'll be performing Gershwin’s An American in Paris. It’s a really fun showpiece and a brilliant way for all the sections of the orchestra to shine. I’ve always had a soft spot for Gershwin, and I think his early death was one of the great tragedies in music. I would have loved to have met him! By all accounts, he was great fun and very charming – which you can definitely hear in his music.

I try not to focus too much on the high-profile nature of the concert or the fact that I’ll be working with a world-famous orchestra. All I can do is prepare as thoroughly as I always do – and enjoy it.

ST: As the current Leverhulme Conducting Fellow at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, you’ve collaborated with some of the UK’s leading ensembles. Could you share a particularly memorable moment or learning experience from your time with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra or Scottish Opera?

RCW: My debut as conductor with the BBCSSO happened just after I returned from Tokyo last year. That was a busy time! It was wonderful because we performed in the beautiful town of Oban, which is on the west coast of Scotland and quite remote. I got the sense it was unusual to have a symphony orchestra visit, so it felt like the whole town turned out! We also performed in a local school for the students, which was very special.

I’ve just finished assisting Scottish Opera with a double bill of two operettas – Trial by Jury by Gilbert and Sullivan, and A Matter of Misconduct by Toby Hession, who was also the conductor. Toby is pretty much my age, so assisting him was brilliant fun, especially as he had written one of the pieces. He’s an extremely talented composer, and I think we’ll all be hearing a lot more from him.

ST: You’ve worked closely with renowned conductors such as Sir Donald Runnicles and Martyn Brabbins. What have you learned from those assistantships, and how have they influenced your own conducting style?

RCW: The assistantship with Runnicles was particularly special, as it was Bruckner’s Ninth with the BBCSSO. I adore Bruckner, and that’s very much the core of Sir Donald’s repertoire. The way he drew out the specific sort of sound that music requires was incredibly inspiring.

I’ve learned a huge amount from Martyn. Of course, he was the one who offered me the fellowship here at the RCS, and it’s wonderful to have someone of his stature believe in me. One of the great things about Martyn is that he seems able to turn his hand to anything. He has an enormous repertoire, which isn’t always the case with many conductors. I’ve also had the privilege of many lessons with him, and he has a real knack for immediately spotting what needs fixing technically in order for the student to convey their musical idea more clearly. I emphasise their, because some teachers fall into the trap of teaching their own interpretation, which I believe is unhelpful.

There are so many other conductors I’ve assisted from whom I’ve learnt a great deal. Funnily enough, I’ve also learned quite a bit about what not to do by watching certain conductors – but I won’t mention any names!

ST: You began your professional life as a violinist. How has that instrumental background informed your conducting, particularly in your communication with string players and shaping orchestral sound?

RCW: My background as a violinist has been essential to my conducting. I’m a useless pianist, so I still think about music as a string player! It’s really helpful in terms of understanding bowing techniques and knowing how to make a string section sound cohesive. It also helps that the majority of the people sitting in front of you are string players, so there’s a familiarity there which allows me to relax.

However, I think the biggest advantage of having an orchestral instrument background is understanding the psychology of an orchestra. If you've sat in an ensemble yourself, you know how important it is to speak clearly, not waste time – but also how boring playing in an orchestra can get if a rehearsal isn’t being managed well. Being an orchestral musician is a difficult and often tiring job, and I think having first-hand experience of that helps me empathise with the players.

ST: Looking back at your time studying at Guildhall and later at the Royal Northern College of Music, what were some pivotal experiences or mentors that helped you make the transition from instrumentalist to conductor?

RCW: When I was a teenager, I was concertmaster of my county youth orchestra in England, which was conducted by Colin Metters. At the time, Colin was still Head of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, and he was – and still is – very highly regarded in the conducting world. Looking back, we were incredibly lucky to have him conducting our little youth orchestra!

While we were on tour in Europe performing Dvořák’s Ninth, I mentioned how fascinating I found his role in training the orchestra. I hadn’t really conducted before, but during a dress rehearsal, Colin just said, “Want to have a go at the finale?” He passed the baton to me and I conducted the last movement. Afterwards, he took me aside and said something like, “Not bad.” Soon after, I began taking lessons and attending masterclasses with him.

When I started at Guildhall, all instrumentalists had to study conducting in their second year. I seemed to be the only one who genuinely enjoyed it! I don’t think I was better than anyone else, but those classes were the highlight of my week, and I felt relaxed and natural in front of a large group of people. The encouragement and guidance from Colin, combined with the realisation that I enjoyed conducting more than violin, led me very naturally to make the transition.

ST: As someone who has now worked across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, how do you adapt your rehearsal methods and communication when working with orchestras from different cultural and musical traditions?

RCW: That’s a very difficult question to answer. I think if I do adjust, I do it subconsciously. I don’t really think in terms of national differences – I just try to feel the energy of a group wherever I go. That tells me how to pace a rehearsal, whether they prefer a gentler approach or more directness, and so on.

Of course, if I’m abroad and unsure of the level of English, I might use fewer words and speak more slowly – but to be honest, I try to do that wherever I am.

Riley Court-Wood will return to Japan to conduct Gershwin’s An American in Paris at the Tokyo International Conducting Competition Prize Winners Debut Concert, to be held at Suntory Hall on Thursday, 10 July 2025.