Enyi Okpara	(click here for larger photo)

Enyi Okpara

The Bob and Beryl Harding Bursary holder for the 2023-2024 season is Enyi Okpara. 

Enyi is a young conductor from Camden in North London, and Artistic Director and Founder of Elysium.  He currently studies with Sian Edwards for an MA in Orchestral Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, where he holds the Derek Butler Award Scholarship.  During his time at the Royal Academy of Music, he has also worked with, and received coaching from conductors including John Wilson, Sir Mark Elder, Daniel Capps, and Alice Farnham.  Last year, he was a finalist at the inaugural Weston Conductors Competition 2022, during which he conducted the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.  This summer will see Enyi conduct two chamber operas at Tete a Tete: The Opera Festival 2023 in London and take on the position of Assistant Conductor for Royal Academy Opera's production of Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring in Spring 2024. 

Hugely passionate about music outreach, accessibility, and education, Enyi is the Artistic Director and Founder of Elysium Music.  Founded in September 2021, Elysium is dedicated to collaborative projects between young professional musicians and children.  It aims to bridge the gap between music in schools and conservatoire music making by bringing the two groups together in performance during concerts and outreach workshops.  Elysium – which consists of the Elysium Orchestra, Consort, Chorus and Outreach Segment – has seen five concerts, four of which Enyi has conducted and project managed.  

As a law undergraduate at the University of Bristol, Enyi conducted the Bristol University Symphonia for three and a half years, as well as the Bristol University Chamber Orchestra.  In 2021, he was also awarded the competitive Young Conducting Scholarship with the national choral charity Sing for Pleasure.  During this time, he conducted workshops in London, Cambridge, and Manchester.  Enyi thoroughly enjoys working with young people, having held positions at The Charter School, North Dulwich and in his current position as a co-conductor of the Camden Youth Choir.