Meet the Next Generation of Conductors 🎓

Meet Your New Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors Class

Founded in 2015 to address gender imbalance on opera podiums, The Dallas Opera’s Hart Institute for Women Conductors is the only program of its kind dedicated to training, advising, and supporting women conductors.

Over the past decade, more than 500 candidates from 40 nations have applied to this groundbreaking leadership initiative, which has helped change the face of classical music by advancing women into the most visible role in the orchestra.

As the Hart Institute marks its 10th anniversary during the 2025/2026 Season, TDO proudly welcomes this year’s four HIWC participants, who continue the program’s legacy of excellence and impact.

From these four conductors, next season's Martha R. and Preston A. Peak Fellowship recipient will be selected.

Claire Lewis
From San Diego, California

At 19, Claire Lewis made her conducting debut at Carnegie Hall with the Chamber Orchestra of New York as winner of the company’s Respighi Prize. She is New Haven Symphony Orchestra’s Harmony Fellowship for Underrepresented Conductors recipient and a Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship Mentoring Program alum, and was Richmond Symphony’s inaugural Conducting Apprentice.

Tatiana Pérez-Hernández
From Medellin, Colombia

Tatiana Pérez-Hernández is currently Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Fellowship Conductor. Formerly, she was a 2024 La Maestra International Conducting Competition semifinalist, won Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2023 Women Conductors Competition, received OAcademy Music Conservatory’s Carlos Miguel Prieto Conducting Fellowship, and participated in Italy’s Lake Como International Conducting Competition.

Sophie Sze-Ki Mok
From Hong Kong, China

Former Miami Symphony Orchestra Conducting Fellow Sophie Mok is currently the Assistant Conductor of the North Carolina Symphony and leads the company’s 2026 Western Residency. Mok is also the Asian Youth Orchestra’s Assistant Conductor. She has collaborated with orchestras internationally and has served as a cover conductor with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.

Sunny Xia
From Guangzhou, China

Sunny Xia is Seattle Symphony’s Douglas F. King Associate Conductor. With the company, she’s conducted various concerts, workshops, and world premieres. Xia has also worked with such companies as St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Chandler Opera Company, and New Jersey Symphony. An accomplished violinist, Xia has played across China and Australia.