Roderick Cox makes Asia debut with visionary Shostakovich performance
The Korea Herald
American conductor Roderick Cox, a rising star based in Berlin, is set to make his Asia debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra on Friday at GS Arts Center in Gangnam. He will lead "Shostakovich 10: Oh To Believe in Another World" — a visually reimagined rendition of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 conceived by renowned South African artist William Kentridge.
Cox, making his first appearance in the region, was drawn to the project not only by his long-standing affinity for Shostakovich, but also by curiosity sparked by the interdisciplinary nature of the work.
“Sometimes one can be quite cautious when pairing a great symphony with something else — a piece of art that already stands powerfully on its own,” he said during an interview Tuesday at GS Arts Center in Seoul. “But in this case, it looked very interesting, very new and something that could be very intriguing for our new audiences in 2025."
While Cox has previously worked on programs that included video elements aimed at reaching younger listeners, this marks his first experience with a full-scale visual collaboration of its kind. Behind the orchestra, Kentridge’s film — featuring cardboard sets, cut-out masks and stop-motion animation — creates a constructivist aesthetic that echoes the stark imagery of Stalinist Russia.
“I think it’s fascinating when you can engage multiple senses — to hear and see simultaneously. Maybe it allows for deeper connections, especially for those already familiar with this work. I'm looking forward to exploring that shared experience with our audience,” Cox added.
Still, Cox acknowledged with a laugh — and a note of concern — that the immersive visual setting might present an unusual challenge. “I'm hoping that the video is not so interesting that it takes my focus off the actual music,” he said. “Because performing Shostakovich’s music requires such intensity, focus and concentration to really enter into this dark world the composer is conveying.”
From Georgia to global stage
Raised in Macon, Georgia, Cox first encountered classical music at age 8 through public school and community programs. He initially considered a career in education, but became intrigued by conducting during high school after observing his teachers shape sound with physical gesture. “I remember thinking, ‘I want to do that,’” he recalled.
That early exposure, he says, gave him time to internalize the physical language of conducting before settling into fixed habits. “Just like with an instrument, the earlier you start, the more natural it becomes.”
Cox went on to study at Northwestern University, where two key mentors — Mallory Thompson and Victor Yampolsky — deeply influenced his development. Yampolsky, in particular, encouraged him to take conducting seriously as a professional path. Reflecting on that time, Cox noted that most of his most influential teachers were women — which made him initially unaware of gender disparities in the field. Thompson, he recalled, always told him to never ever think he got or did not get an opportunity because of his identity.
“I think that sort of training at an early age really helped me not dismiss my identity or forget about it, but really focus on the music and the art and trying to be the best artist I can be,” he added.
Cox later served as assistant conductor at the Minnesota Orchestra under music director Osmo Vanska, further refining his skills in front of a top-tier ensemble. Vansaka served as the music director of the SPO from 2020 to 2022.
Cox’s career gained international momentum after he was awarded the 2018 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award, one of the most prestigious honors for young conductors in the United States. The award provided him the opportunity to expand his artistic horizons across Europe. He has since led performances with major orchestras and opera houses and is now the director of Opera National Montpellier Occitanie in France.
Having once received support from a local foundation when he chose to pursue music, Cox felt compelled to pay it forward. In 2018, he founded the Roderick Cox Music Initiative — a nonprofit that offers scholarships and mentorship to young musicians from historically underrepresented communities.
Cox emphasized that one of the biggest barriers to diversity in classical music is economic inequality. He noted that many young Black and Latino students in the US lack access to music education or orchestral training due to underfunded schools and the elimination of arts programs. Supporting initiatives that provide early exposure and opportunities, he said, is essential to closing that gap.
Curiosity, connection, art of conducting
Asked about what makes a great conductor, Cox had a clear answer: curiosity.
“Curiosity creates imagination,” Cox said.
“When I look at a score, I start by asking questions — constantly. Why was it written? How was it created? What kind of sound does it call for? What influenced it? That kind of deep questioning leads to an imagination for sound, for color, and for the arc you need to shape a musical journey. That’s where interpretation begins — and where exciting performances are born.”
But beyond the music itself, Cox believes a conductor must also be someone who genuinely enjoys working with people. “That’s who you’re connecting with — the orchestra,” he said.
“Whenever you meet a new ensemble, you have to bring something of yourself that inspires them to come along with you. That’s what separates a conductor from a musicologist that probably knows more about music than I ever could.”
For Cox, conducting is ultimately about energy and exchange.
“You’re constantly sending and receiving — conductor to orchestra, orchestra back to conductor, then out to the audience. And I love that combination. Because to me, the conductor, the orchestra and the audience are three equal prongs. It only works when all three are engaged, exchanging energy together.”
