David Navarro-Turres - Conductor

Chilean-Belgian conductor and arranger David Navarro-Turres has been acclaimed for his dynamic performances, his commitment to innovative programming and his passion for artistic openness to diverse audiences in Europe.
He currently holds the position of Music Director and Artistic Director of the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra (www.bpho.be), the chamber choir Serenata Vocale and the Ensemble Confluences.
As guest conductor, he has performed with orchestras such as the Belgian National Orchestra, the ensemble EST-OEST, the ensemble Confluences, the Chamber Orchestra of Chile, the Pazardjik Symphony Orchestra, the Commonwealth Symphony Orchestra, the Antofagasta Symphony Orchestra, El Sistema Belgium, the Concepción Symphony Orchestra, the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of the Royal Brussels Conservatory and the HKU Utrecht Conservatorium Orchestra.
He graduated from the National Conservatory of the University of Chile and the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles. He has received scholarships for conducting masterclasses in Zurich with David Zinman and the Tonhalle Orchestra, in London with Benjamin Zander and the London Masterclass Orchestra, and another with Guerassim Voronkov and the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra.
In April 2016, he premiered Sir Karl Jenkins' orchestral version of "The Armed Man" at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. In 2017 he conducted the opening concert of the BALKAN TRAFIK Festival with Goran Bregovic and his composition of the Three Letters from Sarajevo. In 2022, together with Ensemble Confluences, he opened the Festival of World and Sacred Music of the International Festival of Contemporary Music in Mons and Namur (Belgium). It will continue with a series of concerts of Hommage à Brel & Edith Piaf - the Symphonic Version, new Belgian composers, the recording of Haydn's "The Creation" at Flagey's Studio 4, Mahler's "Titan" No. 1 Symphony for the 20th anniversary of the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra and Mendelssohn's "Elijah" at BOZAR. In June 2022, it will continue with the closing concert with EULAT 4culture, an activity realised in collaboration with the European Commission and the Latin American diplomatic representations. In August and September 2022 he made his debut with the Orquesta Sinfónica de la Universidad de La Serena and the Joven Orquesta de Portugal; ending 2022 with a tour of the operetta "Barbe Blue" in different cities of Belgium.
www.davidnavarroturres.com

Andrew Glover - Narrator

Born and raised in New Zealand, Andrew studied and worked first as an actor, then took further study into the world of opera. After winning a string of awards and scholarships, and a brief sojourn to study Topeng Pajegan dancing and mask carving in Ubud, Bali, he headed to London to see if the streets were paved with gold. They were not. However, here are a few highlights from his otherwise glittering career. R eceiving a call on new year’s eve in Paris, glass of champagne in hand, from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden to step in and sing a role the next day. Rehearsing and performing Italian opera with a Japanese choir and orchestra in Tokyo, Japan. Performing Shakespeare in Singapore, Singing Jazz in Cambodia, Performing a French operetta in Mauritius with a Creole Choir and a Swiss orchestra then swimming in the moonlit lagoon with guitars and singing on the beach. He has also sung in France, Germany, Italy, around Great Britain a few times, as well as many trips to perform back home in New Zealand.

“I am thrilled to be the new narrator for the famous Brussels Snowman Concert, a very special production for a cause that is dear to my heart”.
andrewglover.net

Mary Gow - Organiser & Pianist

Mary comes from Wellington, New Zealand. She holds the degrees of BA and B Mus from Victoria University, Wellington together with the LRSM and FTCL diplomas in piano. She studied for five years at the Royal Conservatorium of Brussels.
Former productions of The Snowman have been teamed with a commissioned work 'The Baboons who live by the River', by Alexander McCall Smith and Tom Cunningham; Carnival of the Animals; Peter and the Wolf; Tubby the Tuba; and versions of Britten's Young Persons' Introduction to the Orchestra. In addition to The Snowman, Mary's other Christmas passion is The Brussels Carol concert which will be held this year on Sunday 13 December at 5 pm.
Russian pianist Nikolai Saratovsky is her newest project, organising concerts and representing him in New Zealand and Belgium.
This year in the June King's Birthday Honours in New Zealand, Mary was awarded a KSM (King's Service Medal) for services to music in New Zealand and Belgium. It is a huge honour and she is indebted to the musicians who love her Mulled Wine Concerts in NZ and the musicians in Brussels who play in her concerts.