OBSERVERS
Observers from leading symphony orchestras will follow the competition searching for possible future conductors. 

JESSICA FORD – SPECIAL MALKO CAREER CONSULTANT AND ARTIST LIAISON

The candidates will be able to receive advice and support after the competition from Jessica Ford who will be our special artist liaison and career consultant. Jessica worked for 17 years as Director, Artist Management at Intermusica until December 2020, managing artists of the highest calibre - Leonidas Kavakos, Marek Janowski, Vassily Sinaisky, and the violist Antoine Tamestit.  She has always had a keen interest in building the careers of younger artists, most recently the conductor Joshua Weilerstein, winner of the 2009 Malko Competition, and the pianist Martin James Bartlett.  Jessica also represented the outstanding oboist Alexei Ogrintchouk in his capacity as a conductor and at the time of leaving Intermusica, was acting as mentor to the young Austro-Spanish conductor Teresa Riveiro Bohm. Prior to joining Intermusica, Jessica was at IMG Artists, where she managed such distinguished names as Mariss Jansons, Alan Gilbert and Zoltan Kocsis.

Throughout the competition, Jessica will have a room backstage so that all candidates can drop in and have a chat, either to talk the challenges of the competition or explore career options available after the competition.