Nadège Foofat

Nadège Foofat is a dynamic conductor, violinist, violist, and tireless advocate for bold ideas in music, culture, and education. Known for her expressive artistry and adventurous programming, she brings a vibrant mix of tradition and innovation to every stage she steps onto.

This year, Nadège’s work as conductor on Bespoke Songs for the Sono Luminus label earned a 2025 Grammy nomination for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album—a testament to her commitment to musical excellence and creative collaboration. She has also conducted and arranged for singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant, seamlessly bridging classical and popular genres.

A passionate champion of contemporary music, Nadège’s programming often highlights voices historically underrepresented in the canon. Her concerts have featured works by Amy Beach, Vivian Fung, Missy Mazzoli, Florence Price, Louise Farrenc, and many others. She is widely regarded as a leading interpreter of Farrenc’s music.

Over the past decade, Nadège has conducted orchestras across North America and Europe, including the Nashville Symphony, Savannah Philharmonic, South Bend Symphony, Spartanburg Philharmonic, Toledo Symphony, and Lima Symphony; in Canada, the Kamloops Symphony, Okanagan Symphony, Symphony New Brunswick, Symphony Nova Scotia, l’Orchestre Symphonique de l’Estuaire, and the Vancouver Island Symphony; and in Europe, the Hamburg Philharmonic and State Opera and the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra. As Assistant Conductor to Kent Nagano in Hamburg, she contributed to landmark productions of Wozzeck, Lulu, Fidelio, and Parsifal, and led performances at the Elbphilharmonie.

In addition to her work on the podium, Nadège is the Founder and Director of Classical at the MSV, a chamber music series in Winchester, Virginia, where she performs as both violinist and violist. She previously served as Founder and Music Director of the Esopus Chamber Orchestra, a professional ensemble in New York’s Hudson Valley, and as Associate Conductor on the Grammy-nominated Naxos recording of Darius Milhaud’s L’Orestie d’Eschyle.

Her academic credentials include a Doctor of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the Université de Montréal, a Diplôme de Perfectionnement in contemporary orchestral conducting from the Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana, a Master of Music from the Yale School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music in viola performance from The Juilliard School.

A dedicated educator, Nadège has led workshops and masterclasses across the U.S. and currently serves as Orchestral Director at Harmony Middle School in Loudoun County, Virginia. She has held teaching and leadership positions at Keene State College, Shenandoah Conservatory, and with the Sphinx Organization. She has served on the executive boards of the Regional Orchestras Playing Association and the Institute for Composer Diversity. Nadège holds citizenship in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and lives in Virginia with her husband, composer Jonathan Newman, and their son, Olivier.