The Nashville Symphony and its Musicians Association have announced the ratification of a new, four-year contract that will go into effect on August 1. The new agreement provides for a 3.5 percent increase to the musicians’ base salaries for the 2018-19 season, as well as increases of 3.75 percent for the 2019-20 season and 4.25 percent for each of the following two seasons. Read More →

Ng Tian Hui

The Pioneer Valley Symphony, an orchestra in Greenfield, Massachusetts, has announced as its new musical director 38-year-old Ng Tian Hui. A native from Singapore, he succeeds 23-year music director Paul Phillips who was in this position for 23 years. Read More →

Oliver Knussen
(c) Mark Allan/BBC

British composer and conductor Oliver Knussen has died at the age of 66 after a short illness, his publisher Faber Music said. Knussen was born in Glasgow and grew up near London. He began composing at the age of six and wrote his first symphony at the age of 15. Read More →

Anastasia and John Axelrod
(c) Remy Franck

This weekend, American conductor John Axelrod celebrated his and his bride Anastasia’s wedding in Seville, Spain, where Axelrod is Music Director of the city’s Real Orquesta Sinfonica. The couple already married in Moscow in February 2018, but the celebration took place only this weekend, with many of their friends and relatives from all over the world. Read More →

John Axelrod
(c) ICMA/Hoffmeister

Es lohnt sich immer wieder, Orchester zu entdecken, von denen in letzter Zeit – global gesehen und insbesondere auf dem Schallplattenmarkt – etwas weniger die Rede war, in unserem Fall das ‘Real Orquesta Sinfonica de Sevilla’, bei Gelegenheit eines Besuchs im Rahmen der Vorbereitungen zur ICMA-Preisverleihung 2020 in der andalusischen Stadt. Read More →

The Irish Government has decided that the National Symphony Orchestra, which currently belongs to the broadcaster RTÉ, should come under the control of the National Concert Hall. and not be established as a separate State body. Read More →

Mario Alejandro Torres has been appointed as Music Director and Conductor for the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra (Bainbridge Island, Washington). Read More →

Lang Lang
(c) Deutsche Grammophon

Nach einer Sehnenentzündung im linken Arm und monatelangem Pausieren kehrt der chinesische Pianist Lang Lang am heutigen Freitag wieder auf die Bühne zurück. Er spielt beim Eröffnungskonzert des Tanglewood-Festivals mit dem ‘Boston Symphony Orchestra’ unter der Leitung von Andris Nelsons.

Karajan - Wiener Philharmoniker
(c) Deutsche Grammophon - Unitel

Der Dirigent Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) zieht am 16. Juli als lebensechte Wachsfigur in das Madame Tussauds in den Wiener Prater. In besonderem Andenken an den Maestro, wird sein Ebenbild zu seinem 29. Todestag der Öffentlichkeit präsentiert. Read More →

Franz Welser-Möst
Photo: Don Snyder

The Cleveland Orchestra has announced that Music Director Franz Welser-Möst will not be leading the opening concerts of the Orchestra’s summer season. The press release says the conductor has a bacterial hand infection.