American conductor Jason Thomas Aylward will serve as Music director of the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra in Florida for the next 18 months. Aylward, 33, moved to Lakeland five years ago to take on a teaching role at Southeastern University, where he also serves as orchestra director. He was previously principal trumpet player in the orchestra. Read More →

Leonard Slatkin

The Nashville Symphony announced that 81-year-old conductor Leonard Slatkin will serve as Music Director for three years through the 2028/29 season. Slatkin assumes the role following his previous appointment as Music Advisor. Maestro Slatkin takes the artistic helm of the orchestra beginning with the 2026/27 season. Read More →

The Portland Chamber Orchestra has unexpectedly dissolved in the midst of its 79th season. A statement posted to the organization’s website reads: « It is with sadness that the Board of Directors for the Portland Chamber Orchestra announces that the ensemble’s 79th season will be its last. The board’s decision includes cancelling the remaining two concerts for the season. The state of Oregon has been notified of the dissolution. Read More →

George Enescu

Between August 23 and September 19, 2026, Bucharest will host the 20th edition of the George Enescu International Competition. The competition, which takes place every two years, will have four sections: composition, cello, violin, and piano. Cristian Măcelaru, artistic director of the Enescu Festival and Competition, will once again hold masterclasses in conducting and performance this year, adding a masterclass in composition for this edition, which will be held by the members of the composition jury. Read More →

Boston Symphony Orchestra Music Director Andris Nelsons and the BSO have announced Yiran Zhao and Jakub Przybycien as the orchestra’s new Assistant Conductors starting with the 2026–27 season for two-year terms. They succeed Samy Rachid and Anna Handler, whose tenures will end at the conclusion of the Tanglewood season this summer. Both Zhao and Przybycień will make their BSO conducting debuts as Assistant Conductor during the 2027 Tanglewood season. Read More →

76-year-old Cuban-American composer and conductor Odaline de la Martínez is honored with the 2026 Tulane University International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement. This is a great example of Trump’s much hated DEI, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Read More →

Jeffrey Kahane
(c) E.F. Marton Productions

Following a number of concert cancellations, Jeffrey Kahane has stepped down from his role as Music Director of the San Antonio Philharmonic. Following a decades-long association with the San Antonio Symphony, and having maintained close ties to the musicians since his conducting debut with the orchestra in 1992, Kahane was appointed the first Music Director of the newly re-formed San Antonio Philharmonic for the 2024-2025 season. Read More →

Georgii Moroz

24-year-old Ukrainian violinist Georgii Moroz won First Prize at the Singapore International Violin Competition (SIVC, performing with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Joshua Tan. Moroz won also the Chamber Music Prize. Read More →

Markus Brönnimann
© Vera Markus

Vom rezenten Konzert des Orchestre de Chambre du Luxembourg, von dem Pizzicato-Mitarbeiter Alain Steffen  nicht sehr begeistert war, behält er aber mit Freude die Uraufführung von Markus Brönnimanns Werk Abula zurück. Read More →

Paavo Järvi
(c) Sébastien Grébille

Paavo Järvi dirigierte das Luxembourg Philharmonic in der Luxemburger Philharmonie. Pizzicato-Mitarbeiter Alain Steffen berichtet. Read More →