Stilian Kirov
(c) Chuck Moss

The Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra hired Stilian Kirov (*1985) as Music Director, effective June 1, 2017. The Bulgarian-born Juilliard graduate holds a master’s degree in conducting from the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris and currently serves as Music Director for Symphony in C (New Jersey) and Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra (California). Read More →

Nike Wagner (71), Urenkelin des Komponisten Richard Wagner, hat ihren endgültigen Verzicht auf die Leitung der Bayreuther Festspiele erklärt. In einem Interview mit der in Düsseldorf erscheinenden « Rheinischen Post » (Mittwochausgabe) sagt sie: « Auch Träume kommen irgendwann an ein Ende. » Read More →

The BBC Singers have appointed Swedish choral director Sofi Jeannin as chief conductor. She will take over in July 2018 from David Hill, who has held the post since 2007. Jeannin, 40, is currently musical director of la Maîtrise de Radio France in Paris.

Grant Harville
(c) Gave Flicker

After a fifteen month-long search, the Great Falls Symphony (Montana) has found a successor to long-time music director Gordon Johnson. Wisconsin-born Grant Harville, 36, will be the new music director. Read More →

Eric Garcia

Texas-born conductor Eric Garcia, 39, has been named music director of the Boise Philharmonic, the orchestra announced on Monday. He is the winner of a search which involved seven candidates. Garcia replaces Robert Franz, who stepped down in 2016. Read More →

Der Théodore-Gouvy-Preis 2017, vergeben vom Eurodistrict SaarMoselle und der Deutschen Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, geht an den 1995 geborenen deutschen Komponisten Samuel Walther für sein im Rahmen der ‘Saarbrücker Komponistenwerkstatt 2017’ entstandenes Orchesterwerk ‘Triptych for Ellsworth Kelly’. Read More →

Claire Guillemain, recruited one year ago to create the Cité musicale de Metz comprising in one structure the National Orchestra of Lorraine and Metz en scènes (three performance halls, among them the famous Arsenal), has left the ship before even arriving in port. The unexpected departure has officially not been explained, and rumours say that Guillemin must have seen that the task to direct such an enormous cultural structure with 150 employees and a budget of € 13.2 Million is not realistic. Anyhow, Metz has now suffered a severe setback in its merger plans.

Karel Mark Chichon
Photo: DRP

Karl Mark Chichon setzt ein Zeichen. Drei Monate vor dem Ende seines Vertrags hat er angeblich wegen der für 2019 angekündigten Kürzungen im Orchesterbudget der Deutschen Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern seinen sofortigen Rücktritt erklärt. Read More →

Ainars Rubikis
(c) Janis Porietis

According to an information reported by Berlin’s Tagesspiegel, Culture Senator Klaus Lederer will present on Monday the Latvian Ainars Rubikis (*1978) as Generalmusikdirektor of the Komische Oper. With First prizes at Bamberg’s Mahler Conducting Competition 2010 and the Young Conductors Award in Salzburg 2011, Rubikis is known as an innovative and intelligent conductor. He was musical director in Novosibirsk, but was dismissed in the aftershocks of the Tannhäuser scandal.

Gustavo Dudamel

Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic dedicated a concert by his orchestra on Friday night to the 17-year-old violist of El Sistema who was killed two days earlier in an anti-government protest and to all the victims of violence. This was reported by the L.A. Times.