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2022 SSO Guest Conductor

Kalena Bovell

Panamanian-American conductor Kalena Bovell wields a distinctive voice as maestra, speaker, and poet. Having recently led the Chineke! Orchestra in her BBC Proms debut, Bovell’s twin focus on musical excellence and community engagement has led to praise as “one of the brightest stars in the world of classical music” (Channel 3 News, Connecticut). 

Both the Assistant Conductor to the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Conductor of the Memphis Youth Symphony, Bovell seeks to continue an active schedule in 2022. On the podium, selected engagements include performances with the Rochester Philharmonic as well as the Louisville Orchestra. During the 2021 season, Bovell experienced debuts with both the MSO and the Sewanee Summer Festival. As speaker and panelist, she joined the Sewanee Winterfest and the SphinxConnect 2021: UNITY Conference. As a poet, her poem Tethered Voices was used as the text for the recently commissioned orchestral work of the same name by composer James Lees III. 

Bovell’s first private lesson came at 18 years of age, a late introduction to classical music that made her subsequent career path distinct from those of her contemporaries. Since making her professional debut as the Chicago Sinfonietta’s Assistant Conductor in 2016, invitations as guest conductor have included Hartford Opera Theatre, New Britain Symphony, and a particularly memorable performance leading Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr with the Memphis Symphony prior to her official appointment. As her profile has risen, Bovell has shared insights from her journey with news outlets, organizations, and universities including the BBC and the League of American Orchestras.

Among other accolades, Kalena was previously named a finalist for the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship, a recognition given to talented female leaders in the conducting field. She published her first poetry book, “Dear Soul...”, in 2009.