34 percussionists and 3 composers aged 19 to 32 from 13 countries have been selected from 135 candidates to participate at the 74th Geneva International Music Competition. The competition will take place from 8 – 21 November 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland. Complete programme available on www.concoursgeneve.ch

Garry Walker
(c) Jack Liebeck

Opera North in Leeds has announced two appointments. Garry Walker becomes Music Director designate and will take up his post from the 2020/21 season in August 2020. Dutch conductor Antony Hermus, 46, has been named Principal Guest Conductor. Read More →

Publikum in der Thomaskirche
(c) Gerd Mothes, Bach-Archiv Leipzig

Am gestrigen 23. Juni endete das Bachfest Leipzig 2019. 158 Veranstaltungen wurden in zehn Tagen von 73.000 Musikliebhabern aus mindesten 44 Nationen besucht, teilte der Veranstalter mit. 56 Reiseveranstalter aus 12 Ländern organisierten Bachfest-Reisen für ihre Kunden, so viele wie nie zuvor in der 20-jährigen Geschichte des Festivals. Read More →

The Boston Symphony Orchestra is unveiling a sculpture of its longtime music director today at the orchestra’s summer home at Tanglewood. Koussevitzky served as the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s music director from 1924 until 1949, the second-longest tenure in its history. He founded Tanglewood in 1937 and the Tanglewood Music Center, the BSO’s influential summer music academy, in 1940. Read More →

Cecilia Bartoli
(c) Ulli Weber/Decca

Italian mezzosoprano Cecilia Bartoli has withdrawn from three performances of Handel’s Julius Caesar scheduled for October. The singer is shocked by the decision from the opera house’s board to not renew the contract of the current General Manager Alexander Pereira. She was supposed to produce a larger Handel project with Pereira and won’t do it without the Austrian manager.

Milton Keynes City Orchestra (MKCO) will perform their Farewell Concert today under the baton of Music Director Damian Iorio. Milton Keynes City Orchestra  is a professional freelance orchestra which was founded in 1975. Read More →

Bramwell Tovey
(c) VSO

Opus 3 Artists has announced that conductor Bramwell Tovey, 65, has been diagnosed with cancer. « His doctors expect him to make a complete recovery. At the advice of his medical team, Maestro Tovey has withdrawn from select appearances while undergoing treatment. We ask for understanding and apologize in the event of any further unexpected disruptions to his conducting schedule. » the statement says. Read More →

Teodor Currentzis
(c) Anton Zavjyalov

Rumours were circulating since weeks, now it is official: Russian-Greek conductor Teodor Currentzis steps down as Artistic Director of the Perm Opera. The house did not give any information about the reason, but it is generally assumed that financial and operational problems led to the resignation. Read More →

Der gebürtige Münchener Dirigent Markus Huber (50) wird ab der Saison 2019/20 Chefdirigent der Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach. Laut einer Mitteilung des Orchesters läuft sein Vertrag über fünf Jahre. Huber war mehrere Jahre lang Chefdirigent des Leipziger Symphonieorchesters. Von 2008 bis 2019 war er Generalmusikdirektor des Theaters Pforzheim.

Mikhail Pletnev
(c) RNO

Russian pianist and conductor Mikhail Pletnev will build with his own private money a concert hall at the Ivanovka estate near Tambov, Russia, which used to be the Sergei Rachmaninov’s summer residence between 1890 and 1917 (i.e. until his emigration), our colleagues from the Russian magazine Musical Life – an ICMA member – report. At the estate, a museum commemorating the life and works of the composer was opened in 1982 and a festival takes place in various mostly not well adapted rooms. Read More →