Meet 2025-27 Conducting Fellow Kalena Bovell

Panamanian-American conductor Kalena Bovell is a trailblazer in classical music and the first Black woman to conduct an opera in Canada—the 2023 world-premiere reimagining of Scott Joplin's Treemonisha. Recipient of the 2024 Sphinx Medal of Excellence and a Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship, Bovell previously served as assistant conductor of the Memphis Symphony.  Bovell’s 2026–27 season includes major debuts including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Opera Orlando—where she will conduct Puccini's Madama Butterfly, and the Texas All-State Orchestra. She also returns to the San Diego Symphony for a second season as a Conducting Fellow. Bovell has led performances with the Hartford Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, and the Grant Park Music Festival.  She also returned to the Chineke! Orchestra for its 10th anniversary season. Her work with Chineke! at the BBC Proms led to her featured appearance on the ensemble's 2022 Coleridge-Taylor album, praised by The Financial Times for "overflowing with descriptive imagination." A poet and advocate for equity, Bovell was raise in Los Angeles, came to music at age 11, began formal music training at 18, and earned degrees from The Hartt School and Chapman University, which named her a Distinguished Alumna in 2021.

You’ll be able to hear Bovell’s work with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra when she leads them on the October 31 Family Concert performance of Trick or Treat Symphony.

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

I am most excited about the opportunity to work with and learn from Rafael Payare. He is a conductor I have admired since his Malko Competition win, and having the chance to observe his artistry and leadership up close is incredibly inspiring. I’m also looking forward to getting to know the administrative team and gaining insight into the inner workings of running a major symphony orchestra. Lastly, I am deeply excited about bringing music to the many diverse communities of San Diego alongside the orchestra. The chance to connect with audiences beyond the concert hall and contribute to the Symphony’s community-centered mission is especially meaningful to me. 

How do you think this fellowship will shape your growth as a conductor and leader?

I believe this fellowship will shape my growth in several meaningful ways. Being able to observe Music Director Payare will deepen my understanding of how to make music with clarity, intention, and with purpose, both on and off the podium. I also hope to gain insight into how to better serve my communities through music, particularly by developing accessible and inclusive programming that reaches audiences of all backgrounds.

You’ve been a trailblazer for representation in classical music — how does this fellowship align with your vision for inclusivity and leadership in the arts?

As a conductor, I believe in using music to remove barriers, create access, and cultivate opportunity. This fellowship offers an invaluable chance to broaden my understanding of what it means to be an ambassador, a leader, and an educator within our field. I believe it will equip me with the tools and perspectives needed to serve those responsibilities with intention, integrity, and a commitment to community.

What do you hope to take away from this experience, both artistically and personally?

Artistically, I hope to learn how to shape a musical vision into a full orchestral season — from programming to conceptual development. I also want to refine my musical voice, build deeper relationships with community partners and leaders, and gain a stronger understanding of how to work with boards and engage donors in meaningful ways.

Personally, I hope to deepen my understanding of what it means to serve as an ambassador for an organization and the responsibilities that come with that role. I’m also committed to expanding my impact in creating support and resources for underrepresented musicians of color. One of my long-term goals is to establish a music foundation, and I hope this opportunity will help illuminate a pathway to bring that vision to fruition.

How do you see opportunities like this shaping the next generation of conductors from diverse backgrounds?

Opportunities like this are vital to fostering the next generation of conductors. Programs like this help level the playing field by offering mentorship, visibility, and hands-on experience—resources that are not always readily available to emerging conductors from underrepresented backgrounds.

I often say that people can’t be what they can’t see. Growing up as a violinist, I never saw myself reflected in the field, and even once I began conducting, representation remained limited. Fellowship programs like this not only provide access and training, but they also make the possibilities visible. They help create a field that finally makes space for those who have long been overlooked, and in doing so, they open doors for future generations to step into leadership with confidence and belonging.