US conductor Roderick Cox has joined the Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier as its music director for the 2024-25 season (September-July).
At 37, he is the youngest permanent conductor to lead the orchestra since its creation in 1979.
He is no stranger to it, however, having previously conducted the orchestra in Transatlantique – a 2021 concert devoted entirely to US music of the 20th Century – as well as a handful of other performances, including Verdi's Rigoletto.
“I’ve worked on several projects with the Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier and so the relationship has been building naturally over the past several years,” Mr Cox said.
“When they invited me to become music director it was a way of deepening this relationship further to see how we can move forward together.”
Musical background
Born in Macon, Georgia, Mr Cox attended the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, and then Northwestern University, graduating with a master’s degree in 2011.
In 2016, he was appointed associate conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra for three seasons, having previously served as assistant conductor for a year.
Roderick Cox is passionate about attracting new audiences to the orchestraGuilhem Canal
“I grew up in a household that was very much centred around music and Macon is one of the cultural capitals of Georgia,” Mr Cox said.
“A lot of great musicians have come from here, including Otis Redding and Little Richard, and we have a robust music education programme.”
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Mr Cox hopes his tenure in Montpellier will help diversify the orchestra.
“I don't spend a lot of time thinking about if I'm the youngest person or the first person of colour in this position. I very much concentrate on the task at hand and the importance of bringing new voices and perspectives forward in our globalised society.
“It's important that we continue to evolve and share the different stories of composers and people from around the world. That's what brings us closer to one another and helps us with a greater overall human understanding.
“Of course, in Montpellier I will draw upon my cultural and life experience, which is not only the American experience, but the black American experience, [by featuring] composers who have influenced me over the years and the musicians and artists I've worked with.
“Montpellier is quite an international city, one of the fastest-growing in France, so it's important it has an international opera house that very much aligns with that trajectory.”
Since Valérie Chevalier became general director of the orchestra in 2013, efforts have been made to bring music closer to the public, including through outreach activities and musical events in nurseries, hospitals and care homes, as well as developing its Opéra Junior.
“Roderick Cox, whose career is booming internationally, will be a tremendous asset in raising the profile of the institution and continuing his work to broaden audiences,” Ms Chevalier said.
Mr Cox started the Roderick Cox Music Initiative (RCMI) in 2019 – a project that provides scholarships for young musicians from historically marginalised communities so they can afford instruments, music lessons, and summer camps.
The initiative was featured in an award-winning documentary called Conducting Life in 2020, tracing the musician’s journey and his belief in the transformative powers of music.
Mr Cox, who lives in Berlin and speaks German, has started to learn French following his appointment.
“It’s important to try to have a connection with the culture you're spending your life in and so I definitely want to make an effort,” he said.
“I can't guarantee it's going to be perfect and the French have to be a bit patient with us Americans in this sense, but I look forward to it.”
Cultural institutions in France can no longer rely on full government funding.
The Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier faces the challenge of raising €1million for the 2024-25 season and has launched various fundraising initiatives to meet this goal.
These include the Cercle Maestro (Maestro Circle) in which donors can access certain privileges – such as attending rehearsals – depending on the amount they give.
“The Maestro Circle is about connecting with our audience members, our subscribers, and people who are specifically American, but we welcome many others,” said Mr Cox.
“Coming from America, we have patrons of the arts and donors – not just people who are giving money but who are very much invested in what we bring to the stage.
“I think, especially in today's society, that the citizenship of any city has to be involved in promoting the importance of the arts in their city.
“Even in Berlin, where arts funding is being threatened, the city and its citizens are having to step up and sign petitions and stand up for what they believe is important.
“It is absolutely necessary in our society. So I think it's a great benefit for me, as a person new to Montpellier, to meet the many Americans and patrons and to have a connection, a true connection, with the people we are playing for.”
