John Storgards

The Canadian National Arts Centre Orchestra has appointed John Storgards, Chief Conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, as its Principal Guest Conductor, effective September 1, 2015. The Orchestra also announced contract renewals for Alain Trudel as Principal Youth and Family Conductor and Jack Everly as Principal Pops Conductor. Read More →

Andris Nelsons

Each January, Bachtrack (http://bachtrack.com/classical-music-statistics-2014) publishes statistics for its listings for the year just ended. The average age of the top ten busiest conductors has fallen, with three conductors in their 30s (Nelsons, Dudamel, Nézet-Séguin). There is only 1 female conductor (Marin Alsop) in the top 50. According to statistics, the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra is the busiest concert orchestra. Read More →

Laurent Campellone

After his dismissal as music director of the Opéra-Théâtre Saint-Etienne on the basis of, as he says, « totally ridiculous grounds », conductor Laurent Campellone (42) announced that he will refer his case to the administrative court. He told Le Figaro that the dismissal of a group of cultural executives in the South-Eastern French city « was of brutal violence and similar to a real raid ». Read More →

Osmo Vänskä
Photo: A Marsden

Der Chefdirigent des ‘Minnesota Orchestra’, Osmo Vänskä, und die Konzertmeisterin des Orchesters, Erin Keefe, haben ihre Verlobung bekannt gegeben. Die amerikanische Geigerin ist seit 2011 beim ‘Minnesota Orchestra’ engagiert.

Marc Minkowski
(c) Marco Borggreve

After having lost a public funding of 438.000 Euros, Marc Minkowski’s ‘Musiciens du Louvre’ have canceled a series of concerts, first consequence of the brutal decision by the mayor of Grenoble to stop funding the orchestra. The cancellations only concern concerts in Grenoble, among tem three concerts with free entrance aimed at young audiences. Let’s hope that the people of Grenoble will thank the mayor on the next election day.

Officially, the Danish National Chamber Orchestra does no longer exist. The orchestra’s association handed over 40.000 protests to the Danish Minister for Culture, but the minister chose to close down the orchestra from the new year. Now, a group of skilled professionals has decided to ensure a future for the DNCO outside the Danish Broadcasting Corporation. Read More →

Die Moskauer Philharmoniker spielen ab Januar in ihrem neuen Konzertsaal, der nach Rachmaninov benannten Philharmonie im Olympischen Dorf (südwestlich vom Stadtzentrum), einem umgebauten Saal aus dem Jahre 1980, der mit Panelen aus Verbundmaterial und Verkleidungen aus amerikanischem Ahorn akustisch verbessert wurde. Read More →

Mariss Jansons
Photo: BR

Nach Zubin Mehta im Jahre 2016 wird das Neujahrskonzert 2016 von Mariss Jansons dirigiert. Für den 71-jährigen Letten wird es der dritte Neujahrs-Einsatz am Pult der Wiener Philharmoniker im Goldenen Saal des Musikvereins sein.

Lou Koster

Naxos announces the February 2015 release of orchestral music by the female composer Lou Koster, played by Estro Armonico Luxembourg under the baton of Jonathan Kaell A native of Luxembourg, Lou Koster was largely self-taught as a composer, flourishing in the inter-war period as a pianist whose activities included accompanying silent films. Read More →

Fayçal Karoui

The newly created Philharmonic Orchestra of the Maghreb will give its inaugural performance in Rabat/Morocco on the 7th of January as part of a tour that will take the ensemble to Casablanca, Tangier and Marrakech. The orchestra has 70 musicians from Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, said the event organizer, Foundation Ténor Pour la Culture. Read More →