Meet Sunny Xia, 2025-2026 Conducting Fellow of the San Diego Symphony

Meet Our 2025-26 Conducting Fellows: Sunny Xuecong Xia 

Recognized for her innate musicality and compelling presence, Sunny Xuecong Xia is Associate Conductor of the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera. Equally at home in opera and symphonic repertoire, her upcoming engagements include the Dallas Opera, Seattle Opera, San Diego Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, and Phoenix Symphony. She is mentored by Xian Zhang and Ludovic Morlot in Seattle, and Marin Alsop as part of the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship. Xia holds dual master’s degrees in conducting and violin performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a doctorate from Arizona State University. Originally from Guangzhou, China, she is fluent in multiple languages and is also an accomplished violinist and athlete.

What excites you most about joining the San Diego Symphony’s Conducting Fellowship?  

I am absolutely thrilled to join SDSO’s Conducting Fellowship as it means a chance to learn from a truly world-class orchestra, Rafael Payare himself, in addition to the wisdom of brilliant arts leaders such as Martha Gilmer and Laura Reynolds.  

What do you hope to learn, experience, or contribute through this program?

Having been to San Diego a few times now, I am familiar and still impressed by the wonderful collaborative culture within the orchestra, as well as the spirit of community the organization has fostered with partners in San Diego and beyond. In addition to learning and growing as a musician, I hope also to grow as a thoughtful and impactful leader of the arts.  

You’ve conducted both traditional repertoire and many premieres — how do you hope to expand your artistry through this fellowship? 

 The San Diego Symphony is an extremely versatile orchestra which is a luxury for any artist lucky enough to collaborate with them. Already, we have explored together music of musical giants such as Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky, and a brilliant voice of our time, Anna Clyne. It is also a great pleasure to get to know our composer-in-residence this season, Jimmy López and work on his music in his presence. These influences and inspirations will stay with me for years to come.  

What role do you think education and community engagement play in your approach to conducting? 

Education and community engagement are central to who I am as a musician. It brings me great joy to be in a position to share our arts with the community—music is so much more than just concerts, it is a bridge that brings people together, an avenue towards shared human experiences, tolerance and understanding. It is such a beautiful gift with which we can enrich our community. All of this, in my opinion, begins with music education. I hope my time in San Diego can be meaningful in terms of what I can contribute to its community.  

Sunny conducting at Jacobs Music Center, Fall 2026