Gustavo Gimeno
(c) Marco Borggreve

The third edition of Concertgebouworkest Young has started. Over seventy talented young musicians aged fourteen to eighteen from all over Europe have travelled to Akoesticum in the Dutch town of Ede, where they will engage in an intensive summer program with sectional and orchestral rehearsals, chamber music, coaching sessions and workshops overseen by professional workshop leaders, and lessons with Concertgebouw Orchestra musicians. Read More →

Das Bayreuther Publikum, das schon am Ende der drei ersten Abende des Ring des Nibelungen seinen Unmut über die neue Inszenierung von Valentin Schwarz zeigte, hat diesen mit einem gnadenlosen Proteststurm niedergebrüllt. Read More →

Jaeden Izik-Dzurko

The Jury of the 20th Santander International Piano Competition has announced the winners. Jaeden Izik-Dzurko (Canada, 23) won First Prize and Gold Medal. The Prize comprises cash of 30,000 Euros, a tour of concerts around Spain and abroad, as well as the recording of a CD for Naxos. Izik-Dzurko also won the Special Award of the Best Chamber Music Performer as well as the Audience Award. Read More →

Die Bayreuther Festspiele haben weiterhin mit Widerwärtigkeiten zu kämpfen, und der Ring des Nibelungen ist definitiv verflucht. Jetzt sagte der Tenor Stephen Gould, der bei der Premiere der „Götterdämmerung“ den Siegfried singen sollte, seinen Auftritt ab, krankheitsbedingt, wie es heißt. Für ihn springt Clay Hilley ein. Read More →

© Philharmonie Luxembourg / Eric Engel

Die Gala der International Classical Music Awards 2022 wird am Samstag, 6. August im ARD Radiofestival übertragen. Das ARD Radiofestival läuft vom 9. Juli bis 16. September und beinhaltet Konzerte, die von alle ARD-Kultur und Musiksendern gleichzeitig ab 20 Uhr ausgestrahlt werden. Dieses Jahr wird das Programm vom MDR ausgerichtet. Read More →

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) will become an ambassador of Naxos for Education as part of a joint Audience Development Partnership from the 2022/23 Season onwards, the organizations say in a press release. Read More →

Evgenyi Kissin
Photo: EMI Classics

Evgeny Kissin has been forced to cancel his recital on 5 August for health reasons, the organizer announced. The artist informed the Festival that pain in his arm has compelled him to take a break for some time, and he has been unable to prepare adequately for this solo recital. He is replaced by his artistically very dissimilar colleague Yuja Wang.

Grigory Sokolov

The Government of Spain has granted the Spanish nationality to the Russian pianist Grigory Sokolov, according to an official statement of today. Grigory Sokolov was born in April 1950 in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg. In response to Putin’s war of aggression, Sokolov had donated the entire fee for his recital at the Vienna Konzerthaus on March 13 to relief efforts in Ukraine.

Der wegen Corona angeordnete Lockdown für Kultureinrichtungen im Herbst 2021 war laut dem österreichischen Verfassungsgerichtshof (VfGH) gleichheitswidrig. Grund dafür ist die Ausnahme für Kirchen und Religionsgemeinschaften, wie die Verfassungsrichter in einer am Dienstag veröffentlichten Entscheidung feststellen. Gegen das Betretungsverbot für Kultureinrichtungen an sich gab es aber keine grundsätzlichen verfassungsrechtlichen Bedenken. Read More →

John Axelrod

American conductor John Axelrod, 56, has signed a contract as Principal Conductor of the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra. The contract is open ended, without term limits. Axelrod succeeds Jin Wang who was in the position since 2017. The Bucharest Symphony Orchestra is a private Romanian orchestra founded in 2007 by the Philson Young Association. Read More →