Rei Hotoda

Rei Hotoda has been named as the eighth music director for the Fresno Philharmonic. Hotoda signed a four year contract, commencing on July 1, 2017. She succeeds Theodore Kuchar who stepped down one year ago after 15 years in the position. Born in Japan and raised in the US was Associate Conductor of the Utah Symphony Orchestra from fall 2015 to Summer 2017.

The California based San Diego Symphony has announced a new sales record. In the 2016/17 season, their series Jacobs Masterworks generated revenues that are 15.6 percent higher than last year’s. Read More →

Determination characterizes the actions of the doomed NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) in the United States. Director Greg Reinersays in a communication: « The President’s FY 2018 budget proposes the elimination of the NEA. This budget request is a first step in a long process, as Congress begins to draft the FY18 budget over the summer. We continue to accept grant applications for FY 2018 at our usual deadlines and will continue to operate as usual until a new budget is enacted by Congress. If you are planning to apply at the July deadline continue to do so! »

Oper Frankfurt

Die Diskussion um die Sanierung der Frankfurter Bühnen – Oper und Schauspiel, die ja bekanntlich in einem riesigen Gebäude untergebracht sind – hat mit einer neuen Studie Aufwind bekommen. Read More →

The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (taking place May 25-June 10 in Fort Worth, Texas), has announced the six pianists advancing to Final Round. They are: Kenneth Broberg, 23, United States, Rachel Cheung, 25, Hong Kong,Yury Favorin, 30, Russia, Daniel Hsu, 19, United States, Yekwon Sunwoo, 28, South Korea, Georgy Tchaidze, 29, Russia.

Paul Haas

American conductor Paul Haas has been named music director of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, Ontario, Canada. He officially takes over July 1. Paul Haas, a graduate of Yale University and the Juilliard School has previously served as the head of the New York Youth Symphony and is since 2010 Music Director of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas.

The musicians and singers of the opera house in Toulon, Southern France, began a strike on Sunday and refused to play and sing this evening (6/6). The reason is, according to the unions, insufficient salaries and a total lack of negotiation from the city. The strikers also say, they are very worried about the future. The Opera in Toulon suffered a strike already in April 2017.

Marin Alsop
Photo: Grant Leighton

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra musicians have ratified a one-year contract with the management three months before the current one expires. Read More →

Rund 12.400 Besucher aus 42 Nationen sind zu den Pfingstfestspielen 2017 nach Salzburg gekommen. Dies ist ein Besucherplus von über 8% gegenüber dem Vorjahr. Read More →

Victor Julien-Laferrière

French cellist Victor Julien-Laferrière (*1990) has won the 2017 Queen Elisabeth Cello competition! The other prizewinners are:  Yuya Okamoto (Second Prize), Santiago Cañón-Valencia (Third Prize), Aurélien Pascal (Fourth Prize), Ivan Karizna (Fifth Prize), Brannon Cho (Sixth Prize). Read More →