Yannick Nézet-Séguin
(c) Alfonso Salgueiro

The Curtis Institute of Music announces that it will expand the scope of the school’s conducting program, creating a training program designed to provide the most promising young conductors with one-of-a-kind conducting mentorship in opera and symphonic repertoire. James Ross will join the faculty as Director of Orchestral Studies, starting in the 2024–25 school year. Read More →

Goldene Mozart-Medaille: Johannes-Honsig-Erlenburg & Robert Levin
(c) Wolfgang Lienbacher

Der Amerikaner Robert Levin, 76, seines Zeichens Pianist, Pädagoge, Komponist, Wettbewerb- und Festivalleiter, Harvard-Professor, Mozart-Experte und Mitglied der Akademie für Mozart-Forschung, ist gestern Abend mit der Goldenen Mozart-Medaille ausgezeichnet worden. Dies ist die höchste Auszeichnung, die die Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum im Namen Mozarts vergibt. Read More →

Sylvain Cambreling
(c) Marco Borggreve

You defend the great symphonic and operatic repertoire as well as contemporary music, both of which appeal to audiences that are still much divided. Do you see a rapprochement between the audiences for Mozart and Gounod and those for Georges Aperghis or Gérard Grisey?
It’s hard to talk about a rapprochement between audiences, but I would say there is a difference. Some audiences are ready to listen to everything, others are not; some are curious, others are not; some only appreciate today’s music, sometimes more out of snobbery than real interest. It’s not impossible to go from baroque to contemporary, since this is more an intellectual than a musical domain. Read More →

Doux silence; Joseph Chabanceau de la Barre: Sarabande Le Digne objet pour qui mon coeur soupire; Honore d'Ambruis / Jean-Baptiste Lully / Bertrand de Acilly: Suite en La; Robert de Visée / Nicolas le Bègue / Michel Lambert / Jean-Baptiste Lully / Antoine Boesset / Charles Couperin / Mademoiselle de la Chataingeraye / Anne Dancian Philidor: Suite en ré; Bertrand de Bacilly / Ennemond Gaultier / Jean-Henry Danglebert: Suite en la; Jean-Baptiste Lully / Gaultier de Marseille: Suite en sol; Robert de Visée / Bertrand de Bacilly: Suite en do; Julie Roset, Sopran,  Lucile Richardot, Mezzosopran; Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien, Francois Lazarevitch; # Alpha 1035; Aufnahme 2023, Veröffentlichung 12.-26.4.2024 (62'15) - Rezension von Norbert Tischer

Mit diesem Programm entführen uns Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien mit dem Flötisten François Lazarevitch in die Welt der Airs de cour, die Lazarevitch als eine der schönsten Schöpfungen der französischen Kunst bezeichnet. Read More →

The good news is: Sesi Minas terminates the contract with Codemig, who manages the Sala Minas Gerais but invites the Philharmonic Cultural Institute to apply for becoming a partner of the hall, thus enabling the continuity of this institute’s activities. The organization notably manages the Minas Gerais Philharmonic. Read More →

The 74-year-old Jorge Rivero Tirado, guest conductor of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco, died at the Teatro Degollado due to a fulminant heart attack during a rehearsal. Paramedics arrived to provide care, however, Tirado no longer had vital signs.  Born in Cuba, Rivero Tirado had an outstanding career as an oboist and as conductor.

Alfred Huber

Alfred Huber, Sie untersuchen mit Studierenden des Studiengangs Medientechnik und Design Bachelor der FH Oberösterreich in Hagenberg die Frage, ob nicht-vokale klassische Musik eine politische Botschaft vermitteln kann. Gleichzeitig schreiben Sie an einer Symphonie zum Thema Widerstand gegen den Faschismus. Damit haben Sie die Frage ja eigentlich schon beantwortet. Oder ist die Sache nicht so einfach?
Die Frage ist zu allererst, was ich grundsätzlich übermitteln will und was ich übermitteln kann. Kunst kann ja keine Fragen beantworten, sondern bestenfalls stellen. Was kann Musik im Wesentlichen aussagen? Wir denken, dass eine explizite Aussage mittels Musik gar nicht möglich ist. Und hier kommt die FH Oberösterreich, an welcher mein Sohn Johannes studiert, ins Spiel. Zur Symphonie entsteht gleichzeitig auch ein Film, sozusagen die Illustration des Inhalts. Read More →

Alexandria Symphony Orchestra has extended the contract of its Music Director James Ross through 2027. The American musician is currently in his sixth season with the orchestra. In parallel he will start to work as the director of orchestral studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia from next fall. Read More →

Enyi Okpara

After two days of auditions with 8 finalists competing for the position of Assistant Conductor, the winner was selected by a vote from the Orchestra’s musicians. And this winner is Enyi Okpara. Read More →

NY Philharmonic's David Geffen Hall
(c) Remy Franck

The New York Philharmonic Orchestra has temporarily suspended two orchestra members, trumpeter Matthew Muckey and oboist Liang Wang from rehearsals and performances over allegations of sexual abuse in 2010 published by the New York Magazine. Brass player Cara Kizer was allegedly drugged and raped by them at the time. Read More →