Sam Weller
conductor
Artistic + Music Director: Ensemble Apex
About
Sam Weller is a conductor based in Sydney and Amsterdam, dedicated to sharing his passion for orchestral music with the wider world.
Recently, Sam was announced as one of six ‘designated winners’ of the International Conducting Competition Rotterdam, which will see him conduct ensembles such as the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Klangforum Wien and Orchestra of the 18th Century in 2025!
In 2016 Sam founded Ensemble Apex, which has been hailed as ‘one of the most exciting new ensembles on the Sydney scene’ (Limelight Magazine). The orchestra creates exceptional orchestral music experiences for newcomers and seasoned concert-goers alike. Apex has presented sold-out seasons since 2016, highlights include Bela Bartok’s Miraculous Mandarin at Sydney Town Hall, Rhapsody in Blue with Simon Tedeschi, Strauss’ Eine Alpensinfonie and most recently a critically acclaimed production of Verdi’s Messa da Requiem which received a credit as one of the most exciting performances of 2023 in the Australian Book Review. In 2024 they launch Apex Festival supported by the Australian Government - a cutting edge new orchestral music festival in Australia.
“Ensemble Apex are next level - taking music performance in Australia to new heights with a thrilling blend of blistering virtuosity, studied finesse, generous warmth and youthful exuberance.If this is the future of music in Australia - then we are in excellent hands!”
Nigel Westlake - Composer - 2021
“Weller’s orchestra is one of the most adventurous in Sydney, performing with a maturity beyond its years under concertmaster Anna Da Silva Chen, aiming for an audience that is looking for something other than the conventional concert hall experience.”
Steve Moffat - Limelight Magazine - 2022
Sam is enjoying a blossoming freelance career in The Netherlands and Australia having recently debuted with Noord Nederlands Orkest, PHION, Orchestra of the 18th Century, Canberra Symphony Orchestra, the Dutch Radio Philharmonic (in broadcast) and made his Dutch operatic debut with a national tour of Mozart’s Zauberflöte. Sam’s upcoming engagements include operas with the Dutch National Opera Academy, symphonic concerts with Noord Nederlands Orkest, the Dutch Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Phil Zuid and Residentie Orkest. Sam is also a guest lecturer and conductor at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Conservatorium van Amsterdam and Koninklijk Conservatoire - Den Haag.
In 2022 Sam graduated from the prestigious National Masters of Orchestral Conducting in The Netherlands where he studied with Ed Spanjaard, Jac Van Steen, Kenneth Montgomery OBE and guest professor Antony Hermus. Through his involvement in the NMO, Sam has conducted many of the Netherlands’ professional orchestras including; The Netherlands Philharmonic, Noord Nederlands Orkest, Residentie Orkset (The Hague Philharmonic), Nederlands Kamerorkest, Philharmonie Zuid Nederlands, Het Ballet Orkest, Sinfonia Rotterdam and also worked with the singers of The Dutch National Opera Academy. Prior to his studies, Sam appeared in international masterclasses with some of the world's leading conductors including; Paavo Jarvi and David Zinman.
“With this, his debut appearance with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, he has put an indelible stamp in his already impressive international credentials ‘passport’. ”
Clinton White - Limelight Magazine - 2022
“This isn’t intended to be a review, but I should mention that the performance, conducted with complete authority by Sam Weller, was remarkably good.”
Andrew Ford - Composer and Writer - 2022 (after Verdi’s Requiem)
In Performance
In Print
click the title to read moreApex Festival - Limelight Magazine
Apex Festival - Sydney Morning Herald
Verdi Requiem - Sydney Morning Herald
Verdi Requiem - Andrew Ford
Verdi Requiem - Limelight Magazine
Canberra Symphony Orchestra - Limelight Magazine
Canberra Symphony Orchestra - Canberra City News
Orchestrating Change - Sam Weller - Limelight Magazine
At Work
OCTOBER ‘24
Ensemble Apex - Wake up ... and Die
Adams - Dr Atomic Symphony
Crumb - A Haunted Landscape
Xiao - in flesh (ii)
Gorecki - Symphony Sorrowful Songs, Mvt. II
Ensemble Apex - Symphony in the Round
Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4
Tickets
DECEMBER ‘24
Bernstein Gala - Conservatorium van Amsterdam
Classical and Vocal Department
Highlights from West Side Story, Wonderful Town, Mass and On the Town
Tickets soon
PhilXmas - PhilZuid
Christmas Gala Program
Tickets
JANUARY ‘25
Symphony Unraveled - Noord Nederlands Orkest
Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake
Tickets soon
FEBRUARY ‘25
AVROTROS Klassiek Presenteert! - Radio Filharmonisch Orkest
Tivoli Vredenberg
Mozart - Clarinet Concerto
Dvorak - Violin Romance
Weber - Konzertstuck
and more!
Tickets
Zondag Ochtend AVROTROS Klassiek Presenteert! - Radio Filharmonisch Orkest
Het Concertgebouw
Mozart - Clarinet Concerto
Dvorak - Violin Romance
Weber - Konzertstuck
Tickets
JUNE ‘25
International Conducting Competition Rotterdam Finals
June 1 - 13
Orchestra of the 18th Century
Rotterdam Philharmonic
Klangforum Wien
Sinfonia Rotterdam
Abstrakte + Kaiser von Atlantis - Dutch National Opera Acadmey & Residentie Orkest
Blacher - Abstrakte - Opera No. 1
Ullman - Kaiser von Atlantis
Tickets soon
AUGUST ‘25
Obscura 2- Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Tickets
SEPTEMBER ‘25
Sydney Conservatorium of Music - New Music Ensemble
OCTOBER ‘25
Northern Lights and Southern Stars - Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Bizet Symphony in C, Peer Gynt Suite and more...
Tickets
NOVEMBER ‘25
Western Australian Symphony Orchestra - TBA
Selected Past Projects
MASS - Ensemble Apex
G. Verdi - Messa da Requiem
Transformations - Dutch National Opera Academy
Amare- Den Haag
World Pride Festival 2023 - Sydney Youth Orchestra
Music Director and conductor
Gulda Cello Concerto in PARADISO - Amsterdam
w/ Floris Mijnders (Munich Philharmonic)
Family Concerts - PHION
G.Mahler - Symphony No.1
Die Zauberflote - Opera2Day
De La Mar Theatre, Amsterdam
Carmen - Irish National Opera
G. Bizet - Carmen
Assistant to Kenneth Montgomery
Metamorphosis - Noord Nederlands Orkest
G. Verdi - La Forza Del Destino Overture
S. Barber - Violin Concerto x Hannah Solveij Gramß
P. Hindemith - Symphonic Metamorphosis
Pieter Rolf Jeudgconcerten - Noord Nederlands Orkest
Various Repertoire, touring throughout June
Tickets
War and Peace - Canberra Symphony Orchestra
R. Strauss - Metamorphosen
M. Williamson - Piano Concerto No.2
L.v.Beethoven - Symphony No. 3
Tickets
Parisian Rhapsody - Willoughby Symphony
C. Saint Saens - Danse Macabre
C. Debussy - Premiere Rhapsody x Oliver Shermacher
A. Chance - World Premiere x Oliver Shermacher
G. Faure - Requiem
