Staff

Making his mark as a champion for the future of classical music, thanks to his commitment to new music and innovative programming; Julien Benichou is widely recognized for his inspiring musicality, incredibly infectious energy, and creatively fostering the next generation of musicians and audiences. Benichou is the Music Director of the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO), Artistic Director of the Washington Opera Society (WOS) and Music Director of the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) and Southern Maryland Youth Symphony Orchestra (SMYOC). 

As a guest conductor, Benichou has garnered high acclaim through his work with the New York City Ballet, Annapolis Symphony, Lancaster Symphony, Ballet Theatre of Maryland, Baltimore Concert Opera, and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra collaborations with Mobtown Modern Synchronicity. Abroad, he has conducted the Orquestra Sinfonica do Parana in Brazil, St. Petersburg State Symphony and Siberian State Symphony in Russia, and the Free State Symphony in South Africa. Benichou's success as a guest conductor has frequently led to return invitations. Next season he will return to the Siberian State Symphony and the Free State Symphony. Additionally, Benichou will return to Carnegie Hall for his 5th year in collaboration with Tim Janis and flutist James Galway. In April of 2021 he will lead the Portuguese Philharmonic at the Theatre des Champs Elysées in Paris, in a program celebrating Camille Saint Saëns.

Now entering his 16th season with the MSO, Benichou has dramatically raised the professional quality of the ensemble, as well as expanding the orchestra's season and donor base. Through his commitment to working in the community and ability to attract high profile artists, Benichou has developed one of the premier regional orchestras in the greater Baltimore/Washington area. His leadership of the MSO has led to collaborations with Stefan Jackiw, Virgil Boutellis-Taft, Kurt Nikkanen, Brandie Sutton, Vincent Beer-Demander, Leon Fleisher, Kevin Short, Arnaud Sussmann, and Tine Thing Helsen, to name a few.  

Benichou has also found great success in conducting operatic productions, served by his keen attention to detail and an ability to bring forth a wealth of expression from singers. In his position as principal conductor of the Washington Opera Society, Benichou recently concluded a production of Carmen at the Maison Francaise in Washington, DC, featuring Lisa Chavez as Carmen and Jonathan Tetelman as Don Jose. Additionally, he has worked extensively with the Morgan State University Choir, leading a fully-staged performance of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, featuring Baritone Lester Lynch and Soprano Leah Hawkins. Later with the same ensemble, he conducted the world premiere of James Lee's Mother's Lament. 

A composer himself, Benichou is an avid supporter of new music. He has received numerous commissions for theatre, film, and concert music, most recently from the Siberian State Symphony Orchestra. Benichou has also initiated many new commissions. Recently he conducted the world premiere of Lalo Schifrin's Mandolin Concerto.   

Julien Benichou is no stranger to pushing the boundaries of classical music, frequently conducting crossover and pops concerts. He has enjoyed working with the US Army Blues Big Band, the Army Strings, the Irish band Lunasa, and artists Warren Wolf, Mairead Nesbitt, Loreena McKennitt, Sara McLachlan, Matthew Morrison, and HARLOE. In 2017, Benichou premiered “Way of the Rain” at Carnegie Hall, a concert featuring Robert Redford and Vice President Al Gore. Repeat performances are scheduled next season at EarthX in Dallas, TX, and at the Monte-Carlo Opera in the presence of his Highness Albert II, Prince of Monaco.   

As an avid advocate for music education, Benichou has worked extensively with the CYSO to bring unmatched experiences to young musicians. He has taken the CYSO on six different European tours through invitations by several prestigious festivals in France, in addition to side-by-side concerts with the Orchestre des Jeunes de Montréal and the St. Petersburg State Symphony. Under his leadership, the CYSO has performed at Carnegie Hall on numerous occasions.  

Benichou received a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Institute and earned a Master's Degree from Northwestern University. He also pursued graduate studies at Yale University. In masterclasses, he has worked with Leonard Slatkin, Yuri Temirkanov, Marin Alsop, Michael Tilson Thomas, and JoAnn Falletta. His primary teachers have been Victor Yampolsky, Gustav Meier, and Jorma Panula.  

Before coming to the United States, he trained in France with Roland Hayrabedian and Pol Mule at the Marseille Conservatory and Jean-Sébastien Béreau at the Rueil-Malmaison Conservatory, as well as privately with Yves Cohen. He also studied harmony and counterpoint with Pierre Doury at the Schola Cantorum in Paris. Benichou became a US Citizen in 2016. When not traveling between conducting engagements, he shares his time between his homes in Baltimore, MD and in the French region of Provence.

Simon serves as assistant conductor of the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra in Annapolis, MD, and chorus master & assistant conductor for the Southern Maryland Youth Orchestra and Chorus in Leonardtown, MD, as well as with the Washington Opera Society..

Trained as a pianist and as an opera singer, Simon recently worked as chorus master and pianist for the Washington Opera Society. Recent productions include Verdi's Aida, presented at the Egyptian Embassy, Bizet’s Carmen, presented at the Embassy of France in Washington, DC and Kalman’s The Gypsy Princess presented at the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington, DC.

Simon is the artistic director of the Rochambeau Choir and the Choir of the Embassy of France in Washington. He recently conducted both ensembles for French President Emmanuel Macron's address in Washington, DC, in April 2018.

After receiving a Master’s degree from the Université de Montréal, he furthered his training at the Canadian Operatic Arts Academy (London, Ontario), at the American Institute for Musical Studies (Graz, Austria) and at the Accademia Europa dell’Opera (Lucca, Italy). Simon is very active as a pianist and vocal coach and teaches music at Rochambeau, the French International School in Bethesda, MD.

EXecutive director

Kristin Sampson

Praised by the New York Times for her “bright, sizable and expressive voice,” Mexican-born, American soprano Kristin Sampson’s 2020-2022 engagements include a guest artist appearance and debut with the Kauno Filharmonijain in Lithuania under the baton of Maestro Constantine Orbelian, a company debut with Opera Grand Rapids as Liù in Turandot, role debuts as Marguerite in Faust and Musetta in La bohème with the Washington Opera Society, featured soloist with the Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice, and summer concert performances with New York City Opera, and Festival of Nature at Lake Tizsa in Hungary. 2019-2020 calendar opened with a featured soloist appearance on the 75th Anniversary Concert for New York City Opera followed by additional performances as Mimì in La bohème with MidAtlantic Opera, a guest soloist appearance with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra as well as several additional concert appearances with New York City Opera. 2018-19 performances included concerts featuring the music of composer Jeremy Gill, Mimì in La bohème, guest soloist in the New York City Opera Pride Concert, as well as being a featured artist at the 2019 Festival of Nature at Lake Tizsa in Hungary. Upcoming seasons include the roles of Tosca and Mimì, as well as concert appearances throughout the United States. The 2017-18 season included performances as Minnie in La fanciulla del West with New York City Opera, and at Teatro del Giglio in Lucca, Teatro Goldoni in Livorno, and Teatro Verdi in Pisa, Italy. Her engagements in the 2016-17 season included her Carnegie Hall debut as the soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, Magda in Respighi's La campana sommersa with New York City Opera, Minnie in La fanciulla del West with Opera Carolina, and her debut at the Festival Puccini in Torre del Lago as Tosca. Her 2015-16 season included debuts at Potenza’s Teatro Francesco Stabile as Mimi in La bohème and at the New York City Opera as Tosca in the celebratory production that re-opened the company. Ms. Sampson is a two-time recipient of a grant from the Olga Forrai Foundation. She has performed in the U.S. with the New York City Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Orchestra of New York, Opera Carolina, Dicapo Opera Theatre, Augusta Opera, El Paso Opera, and the National Lyric Opera among others, and internationally with the Opera Society of Hong Kong, Armel Opera Festival, National Theater of Szeged, Teatro Municipal de Santiago, and Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.

Director of Development

Michael J. Reilly

Mr. Reilly is the founder and currently serves as director emeritus of the Washington Opera Society, a 501(C)(3) non-for-profit arts organization in the Nation’s Capital.  He brings some 30 years experience in arts management after also founding and directing the Opera Camerata of Washington.  Mr. Reilly received his undergraduate degree from American University in Washington, DC in technology and management of the arts.  He formerly worked as a licensed stock and bond broker and branch manager with Quantum Financial Advisors.  Mr. Reilly had a long career in the Federal Government in technology and with the Organization of American States as business manager of the international magazine Americas.  Mr. Reilly enjoyed some 5 years at the Washington National Opera (formerly The Washington Opera), on fundraising activities. 

Spare time activities include spending part of the year living and working in Mexico at his home in Acapulco, as a former chorister with his church choir and with the opera, spending time with his 4 grandchildren, gardening and gourmet cooking and the study of piano and opera.  He also has a large interest in immigration and poverty issues relating to the third world.  Mr. Reilly is semi-fluent in the Spanish language.

IN MEMORIAM

Associate Artistic Director: Scott Beard PhD.

In honor of Dr. Beard, whose invaluable contributions benefited the Washington Opera Society from it inception until his untimely passing, we maintain his biography on this page so that all may see a brief summary of what he accomplished during his lifetime.  R.I.P.

Scott Beard has over twenty years experience in higher education, both in the field of music and in administration. He has overseen Shepherd University’s music department, graduate programs and all facets of accreditation in his various academic and administrative rolesHe currently serves as Provost of the University. Recognized for his outstanding teaching abilities, Dr. Beard was named 2006 West Virginia Music Teacher of the Year and was runner-up for West Virginia Professor of the Year in 2009. His students have won prizes in state, regional, national and international competitions, and have gone on to study music at conservatories and schools of music. Concerts as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral soloist have taken him throughout the United States and seven other countries. Recital appearances include Weill Recital Hall, the Tenri Cultural Institute (NYC), as well as numerous embassies and universities. His concerts have been praised for their poetry, passion and innovative programming. Dr. Beard is an active member of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) and is a former national board member, having served as Director of the Eastern Division of MTNA. He has also published four volumes of keyboard anthologies with co-author Lucy Mauro with Alfred Publishing, and has a forthcoming textbook on keyboard proficiency to be publishes by Oxford University Press.