Participants in the San Diego Symphony’s Conducting Fellowship, from left: Sunny Xuecong Xia, Tristan Rais-Sherman, Na’Zir McFadden, Enluis Montes Olivar, Gerald Karni, Nathan Aspinall, and Kalena Bovell.
The San Diego Symphony has announced the inaugural cohort of its Conducting Fellowship Program, an initiative designed to cultivate the next generation of orchestral leaders. The seven fellows for the 2025–26 season will receive mentorship from Music and Artistic Director Rafael Payare and conduct performances at Jacobs Music Center, the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, and across the region through education and community engagement programs. The program offers emerging conductors the opportunity to work closely with Payare, guest conductors, and the symphony’s artistic, education, and community engagement teams. Combining podium experience with professional development, the fellowship helps participants strengthen their musical leadership, while expanding their professional networks. The 2025–26 Conducting fellows are Sunny Xuecong Xia, Tristan Rais-Sherman, Na’Zir McFadden, Enluis Montes Olivar, Gerald Karni, Nathan Aspinall, and Kalena Bovell.
Sunny Xuecong Xia is associate conductor of the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera. Upcoming engagements include the Dallas Opera, Seattle Opera, San Diego Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, and Phoenix Symphony. Xia holds dual master’s degrees in conducting and violin performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a doctorate from Arizona State University. Tristan Rais-Sherman, a recipient of the Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award, recently completed his tenure as assistant conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Recent debuts include the Baltimore Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Hohhot Philharmonic Orchestra, and Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra. Na’Zir McFadden has made debuts with the Dresdner Philharmonie and the Boston, Baltimore, Nashville, and Utah symphonies. Formerly assistant conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and music director of its youth orchestra, he now serves as assistant conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony. Enluis Montes Olivar is associate conductor of the Simón Bolívar Chamber Orchestra. A former Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he has conducted at the Hollywood Bowl and Davies Symphony Hall. He studied at the Simón Bolívar Conservatory and teaches conducting at the Schwob Music Preparatory at Columbus State University. Gerald Karni has led performances at the Elbphilharmonie; with the Lucerne Symphony, Belgrade Philharmonic, and New York Philharmonic Ensemble and will lead the Nurnberger Symphoniker. A Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award recipient, Karni studied conducting at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana and viola at Zurich University of the Arts and is a member of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. Nathan Aspinall is resident conductor of the Nashville Symphony and has led orchestras across the United States, Europe, and Australia, including the Minnesota Orchestra and Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. A Tanglewood Fellow and Aspen Conducting Prize recipient, Aspinall studied at New England Conservatory and the University of Queensland. Kalena Bovell is a recipient of the 2024 Sphinx Medal of Excellence and previously served as assistant conductor of the Memphis Symphony. Bovell’s 2025–2026 season includes debuts with the New World Symphony, Redlands Symphony, and Acadiana Symphony.