22 pianists from 15 countries have been selected by the jury for the Iturbi Prize, organized by the Valencia Provincial Government. There were an initial 178 musicians registered from 41 countries, for this 21st international competition which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Read More →

Die 2014 gegründeten Musiktage Feldafing haben eine neue Künstlerische Leitung: Der Pianist Kit Armstrong und die Geigerin Franziska Hölscher übernehmen die Programmgestaltung des Klassikfestivals am Starnberger See, das in diesem Jahr vom 6.–8. August 2021 stattfinden wird. Beide sind dem Musikfestival seit vielen Jahren verbunden: « Als künstlerische Leiter möchten wir eine Erweiterung des traditionellen Hörerlebnisses durch ungewöhnliche Konzertformate anbieten: Read More →

The National Music Conservatoire in Paris has suspended a cello professor following accusations of sexual violence, according to Mediapart. An internal investigation led to the suspension, since mid-March, of cellist Jérôme Pernoo from his position as professor at the Conservatoire.

The Spanish tenor Francisco Ortiz has died at the age of 82. Born in 1938, his debut took place in Prague, in 1968, in a production of Verdi’s Aida. A few months later, the Teatro de La Zarzuela hired him for a year as first tenor. Laster made his breakthrough in Europe and sung in London, Paris and other major international venues, inducing the Met in New York. Read More →

Sound studio at the Philharmonie in Berlin
(c) Stefan Höderath

With the introduction of Hi-Res Audio, the Berliner Philharmoniker’s Digital will be the world’s first video stream on demand with audio track in lossless studio quality, the orchestra says. Read More →

Polish conductor Marzena Diakun and Italian conductor Valerio Galli (*1980) have been appointed to lead the Toulon Opera Orchestra. The two conductors will take their position in September 2021. They will succeed Jurjen Hempel, who held this position since 2018. Read More →

Glass Marcano

The young Venezuelan conductor Glass Marcano, 24 has been named Principal Guest Conductor at the Orchestre Symphonique Région Centre-Val de Loire, alongside the General Director Laurent Campellone. She will take up her position in January 2022 and will conduct four symphony series per season.

Todd Craven

The Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra (NFSO), resident at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center in Niceville, has appointed Todd Craven as Music Director. Todd Craven is the winner of the 2019 Los Angeles Conducting Competition and has held the positions of Assistant Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic, Assistant Conductor for the Florida Grand Opera. He is he co-Founder and Music Director of the Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra.

New York City Opera has announced the appointment of Constantine Orbelian, 64, as the company’s Music Director and Principal Conductor. Orbelian will conduct his first NYCO production this summer when the company performs a newly created version of Rigoletto on Sunday, August 29 at the Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice in Kingston, New York, followed by an encore performance of the opera on Friday, September 3 as part of Bryant Park’s annual Picnic Performance series. Read More →

Philharmonie Luxembourg
(c) Wade Zimmermann

During the pandemic, the Philharmonie Luxembourg and the Luxembourg Philharmonic have considerably expanded their diverse digital offer. Live broadcasts of concerts with and without live audiences, videos for the entire family, artist interviews, interdisciplinary formats and some developed especially for the digital space – all that is featured on the Philharmonie’s and OPL’s website and social media channels. Read More →