Nell Flanders’ passion for music drives both her ongoing musical explorations and the delight she takes in sharing this passion through performing and teaching. Brought up in a musical family and trained as a violinist and pianist, she brings her experience as a chamber musician and collaborative pianist to her work with orchestras, cultivating the unique contributions of each player and designing exciting programs that showcase a wide range of musical styles and voices.
As Assistant Conductor of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Nell Flanders has had the opportunity to work in many areas of the PSO organization. Highlights with the orchestra include conducting the world premiere of Beauty and the Beast with choreographer Kirk Peterson and the American Repertory Ballet company at the New Jersey State Theater, conducting the PSO’s popular holiday concerts in December 2019, and acting as cover conductor for Music Director Rossen Milanov. She also enjoys educating and sharing the work of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra with the larger community through performances of popular classic works, lectures, videos, preconcert discussions, and writing program notes
.
Ms. Flanders performs regularly as a conductor and concertmaster with The Chelsea Symphony, a dynamic collective of musicians based in New York City whose innovative programming emphasizes living and underrepresented composers. An enthusiastic proponent of today’s music, Ms. Flanders has conducted many orchestral and operatic premieres, including works by Robert Cuckson, Daniel Felsenfeld, Aaron Dai, and many more. She enjoys performing in a broad range of styles, such as the blues, tango, and period instrument baroque. Nell served as cover conductor with Peabody Opera Theater in 2016-17 and as the student Conductor-in Residence with the Buffalo Philharmonic during its 2014-15 season.
Nell Flanders is deeply committed to educating the next generation of musicians and music lovers. In August 2020 she assumed leadership of the Symphonic Orchestra of the Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey as part of an exciting new partnership with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. She has been on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division since 2014, where she currently conducts the Symphony Orchestra and teaches violin and conducting. She also supports young musicians from New York City and Long Island as conductor of the Intermediate and Advanced Orchestras at the Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts. Previous teaching experience includes leading performances with the orchestra and wind ensembles of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College and teaching courses in conducting, violin, and chamber music the University of Maryland- Baltimore County, Utah State University, VanderCook College of Music, and the University of Chicago. She has directed the advanced orchestra of the National Concert Association Music Camp in Panama City, Panama since 2016, where she also mentors student teachers from Oberlin Conservatory.
Nell Flanders received a Doctoral degree in Orchestral Conducting as a student of Marin Alsop at the Peabody Conservatory, and she also holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and Mannes College- The New School. Other teachers include Markand Thakar, David Hayes, Larry Rachleff, Donald Schleicher, and Kenneth Kiesler.