The Mahler Chamber Orchestra announced that from 2024 on, they will be the first ensemble ever to be Artistic Director of the Musikwoche Hitzacker as a collective. Hitzacker an der Elbe is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. Read More →

Augustin Dumay

Two days ago, Deutsche Grammophon announced a partnership with Renaud Capuçon (link to the Pizzicato news piece). In the press release, Dr. Clemens Trautmann, President of Deutsche Grammophon, says: « …he is the first French violinist signed to DG since Christian Ferras, one of his great sources of inspiration. » Trautmann is wrong. Read More →

Ivan Boumans

Weitaus besser als Ivan Fisches Interpretation der Eroica vom Vortag war Christoph Königs Interpretation der 5. Symphonie von Beethoven, weil dynamischer, mitreißender und spannender. Das fand unser Mitarbeiter Alain Steffen, der das Auftakt-Konzert der neuen Solistes Européens Luxembourg-Spielzeit in der Philharmonie besucht hat. Read More →

Elias Grandy

Der deutsche Dirigent Elias Grandy (*1980), der seit 2015 Generalmusikdirektor der Stadt Heidelberg ist, wird das Theater und Orchester zum Ender dieser Saison verlassen, teilte der Veranstalter mit. Nach acht Jahren werde der Vertrag « in beiderseitigem Einvernehmen » aufgelöst. Grandy will in nächster Zukunft als Gastdirigent arbeiten.

Brazilian violinist Guido Felipe Sant’Anna, 17, won First Prize at the 2022 Fritz Kreisler International Violin Competition in Vienna. 2nd Prize ex-aequo: Michael Shaham, 19, Israel. and Rino Yoshimoto, 19, Japan. Read More →

Johanna Soller
(c) Jakob Schad

German conductor Johanna Soller (33) will be the first woman to become Artistic Director of the Munich Bach Choir and Orchestra. The conductor, harpsichordist and organist will join the ensembles at the start of the 2023/24 season. She will be the successor of Hansjörg Albrecht who led both ensembles as well as the Münchener Bach-Akademie for 17 years. He was the third Artistic Director, after Hanns-Martin Schneidt and Karl Richter who founded the ensemble and led it until his death in 1981. Read More →

Gustavo Dudamel

Venezuelan-born conductor, violinist and music education activist Gustavo Dudamel has been chosen as the fourteenth Glenn Gould Prize Laureate, the Gould Foundation announced. Currently Dudamel is serving as Music of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and of the Opéra National de Paris. Read More →

Ivan Fischer
(c) Alfonso Salgueiro / Philharmonie Luxembourg

….. meint unser Mitarbeiter Alain Steffen, wenn das Konzert mit Ivan Fischer und dem Budapest Festival Orchestra in der Luxemburger Philharmonie sonst auch keinen bleibenden Eindruck bei ihm hinterließ. Read More →

Renaud Capuçon
(c) Simon Fowler

Deutsche Grammophon has announced the launch of a new partnership with Renaud Capuçon. The French violinist is set to collaborate with the Yellow Label on a multi-year series of projects, comprising both audio and audio-visual releases. Recordings stemming from his work with young artists and composers will be produced by a special company co-owned by the artist and released by DG.

American violinist Sirena Huang, 28, has been awarded the Gold Medal at the 2022 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis (IVCI). Huang is a graduate of The Juilliard School and Yale University, where she studied with Stephen Clapp, Sylvia Rosenberg, Itzhak Perlman and Hyo Kang. Read More →