Conductor, Poet and Advocate
Who is Kalena Bovell?
Propelled by a steadfast commitment to musical excellence and community access, her recent achievements include receiving the prestigious 2024 Sphinx Medal of Excellence—the highest honor bestowed by the Sphinx Organization—and making history as the first Black woman to conduct an opera in Canada. The former Assistant Conductor of the Memphis Symphony, her guest conducting engagements both past and future include the Minnesota Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, and Orchestre classique de Montréal, while she has collaborated on educational initiatives with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute. As a guest clinician, her residencies have included the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the New England Conservatory, and The Juilliard School Pre-College.
“Dear Soul”
"Dear Soul..." is a collection of poetry that chronicles the ups and downs of a woman navigating her way to through life, love, and loss, all while rediscovering the power of her own voice."Dear Soul..." is honest, unapologetic, and uncomprimising in its exploration of real and raw human emotion.