Taich iFukumura
(c) Ang Gao

The Illinois Symphony Orchestra (ISO) announced the appointment of Japanese American conductor Taichi Fukumura as Music Director effective July 1, 2024. Taichi Fukumura is the Second Prize Winner of The Mahler Competition 2023 and a four-time recipient of the Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award 2021-2024.

The Artis Quartett in Vienna, Peter Schuhmayer, 1st Violin, Johannes Meissl, 2nd Violin, Herbert Kefer, Viola and Othmar Müller,Violoncello, has announced on Facebook that they will play their last concert in 2025: « We think it is time to officially announce that the members of the Artis Quartet have decided to disband after a long and prosperous career of 45 years at the end of 2025! We are looking forward to play for our audiences until the very final and last bar! »

Giulio Cilona
(c) Barbara Rigon

The Opéra national de Lorraine in Nancy, France, has announced the appointment of Belgian-American conductor Giulio Cilona as First Guest Conductor from the 2024-2025 season. Read More →

Carlisle Floyd in rehearsal.
Photo courtesy of Houston Grand Opera archives

The newly formed Carlisle Floyd Centennial has announced an initiative to celebrate American composer Carlisle Floyd (1926-2021) with international productions, concerts, events, programs, and performances leading up to the 100th anniversary of his birth, June 11, 2026 and continuing that entire season. Read More →

French orchestra Les Siècles is punished for having a conductor who is accused of sexual harassment. A Korean organizer just cancelled a concert on November 17, which should have been part of an Asian tour of Les Siècles. So far it is not clear if the rest of the tour is also cancelled. Read More →

Die Jury des Concours de Genève in der Kategorie Komposition tagte 4 in Genf unter dem Vorsitz des Komponisten Pascal Dusapin. Von den 82 eingereichten Partituren wurden 18 ausgewählt und eingehend geprüft, aus denen anschließend drei Finalisten ermittelt wurden: der in München lebende Brasilianer Caio de Azevedo (30), der Schweizer Léo Albisetti (26) sowie der Südkoreaner Sang-Min Ryu (24). Read More →

After the flood disaster of early May, the Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra is still not able to perform and has canceled the performances scheduled for June. Among the performances was Puccini’s opera La Bohème, which was to be staged at the end of the month at the Theatro São Pedro. Read More →

Die KölnMusik Betriebs- und Servicegesellschaft mbH hat Ewa Bogusz-Moore als neue Geschäftsführerin sowie Intendantin der Kölner Philharmonie berufen. Sie wird die Position zum 01. August 2025 übernehmen und damit die Nachfolge von Louwrens Langevoort antreten, der seit dem 01.08.2005 die Aufgaben des Geschäftsführers und Intendanten wahrgenommen hat. Read More →

The winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, Ukrainian violinist Dmytro Udovychenko, has been criticized because he did not shake hands with Vadim Repin, unlike he did with other jury members. This, however is not to be criticized, since it is fully understandable. If any criticism should be raised than towards the Competition which should not have admitted a jury member who has recently been medaled by Putin and who is running in festival in Russia and whose wife is a member of the Putin party. Read More →

After the Finnish magazine Long Play published an article about a classical music professional’s inappropriate and harassing behavior towards young men, conductor Jonas Rannila said on Facebook that this professional was no other than him. Now, the 35-year-old conductor who is currently Music Director of Opera Box, Artistic Director of the Helsinki Philharmonic Choir and Artistic Director of the Finnish Oratorio Choir has been fired by the Finnish National Opera. Read More →