The latest Karajan Community Letter focuses on the year 1959, when Karajan and the Vienna Philharmonic went on a World Tour and Mendelssohn would have celebrated his 150th birthday. So, of course this composer and the recordings Karajan made is another topic here. Here is the link to this week’s Karajanist Community Letter.  And here is the link, where you can subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.karajan.community/

After 40 years as a charitable service organization for Canada’s musicians, the International Resource Centre for Performing Artists is ceasing operations November 30. Eleanor Friedland, president of the IRCPA Board, made the announcement. Read More →

Klaus Mäkelä
(c) Heikki Tuuli

The Norwegian Sibelius Society has awarded the Sibelius Prize 2022 to the Finnish conductor Klaus Mäkelä. Mäkelä will receive the prize at the Oslo Philharmonic’s concert at the Oslo Konserthus on 4 November. Read More →

The Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition  – for non-professional pianists age 35 and older – announced the winners of this year’s edition. First Prize was awarded to Jon Lee, 41, a software engineer from the United States. The second prize went to Michael Slavin, 71, a retired neuro-ophthalmologist from the US. Third place went to Xavier Aymonod, 46, a marketing director of Public transportation in France.

Quatuor Modigliani
(c) Luc Braquet

Begeisterung und Spielfreude zeichneten das Konzerts des Modigliani Quartetts aus, das am Montag in der Luxemburger Philharmonie Streichquartette von Beethoven und Schubert spielte. Alain Steffen berichtet. Read More →

Roberto Gonzalez-Monjas
(c) Marco Borggreve

34-year-old Spanish violinist and conductor Roberto González-Monjas has been announced as Music Director for the Sinfónica de Galicia. He is also Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor of Dalasinfoniettan in Sweden (since the 2019/20 season), Chief Conductor of Musikkollegium Winterthur in Switzerland (since the 2021/22 season), Principal Guest Conductor of the Belgian National Orchestra (since the 2022/23 season) and Artistic Director of Iberacademy in Colombia.

Der amerikanische Pianist Michael Ponti starb am Montag im Alter von 84 Jahren in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Ponti wurde 1937 in Freiburg als Sohn eines Presseoffiziers der US-Armee geboren. Kindheit und Jugend verbrachte er in den USA. Read More →

The Palau de la Música has named Alvaro Albiach as Principal Guest Conductor for the Orquesta de Valencia during the 2022-23 season. In September 2012, he was appointed as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Orquesta de Extramaduro. He is the winner of the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 46th edition of the Besançon Conducting Competition.

Der deutsche Dirigent Hermann Bäumer, 57, wird seinen Vertrag als Mainzer Generalmusikdirektor nach der Saison 2024/25 nicht verlängern. Er ist seit der Spielzeit 2011/2012 Chefdirigent des Philharmonischen Staatsorchesters Mainz sowie Generalmusikdirektor des dortigen Staatstheaters. Read More →

Zubin Mehta
(c) Sébastien Grébille

Conductor Zubin Mehta, 86, has cancelled his upcoming engagements at La Scala in Milan for health reasons. Mehta was scheduled to take the podium on Dec. 22 for the Christmas Concert and for six performances of the Strauss opera Salome in January. Read More →