Semyon Bychkov
(c) Sheila Rock

The Czech Philharmonic today announced the appointment of Semyon Bychkov as Chief Conductor and Music Director from the 2018-19 season. He is the successor of the deceases Jiri Belohlavek and currently has no other music director position. Read More →

Daniel Hope
(c) Harald Hoffmann

Daniel Hope (*1973) wird 2019 für zunächst fünf Jahre Künstlerischer Leiter der Dresdner Frauenkirche. Die Position wurde neu geschaffen. Hope wird eine eigene Konzertreihe gestalten und dabei viel mit Nachwuchstalenten arbeiten

Matthias Bamert
(c) Kilm-Haln

Swiss conductor Matthias Bamert, 75, has been appointed Chief Conductor of Sapporo Symphony Orchestra (Japan), a 3-year position from April 2018. In a press release, Mr Bamert said, “I am very pleased and honoured to accept this position, and I am looking forward to many wonderful concerts with my new orchestra.“ Read More →

Lorenzo Viotti

Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon has appointed the French-Swiss conductor Lorenzo Viotti as the next Music Director from the season 18/19. Until then he acts as Music Director designate, conducting two programmes in spring 2018. Read More →

Mezzo-Soprano Svetlina Stoyanova from Bulgaria and Bass Cho ChanHee from South Korea are the winners of the 17. International Singing Competition ‘Neue Stimmen’. On Saturday, five up-and-coming female singers and five rising male singers competed in the finals. The top three female and top three male performers received cash awards totaling €60,000. Read More →

The Macon Symphony Orchestra, led by music director and conductor Gerald Steichen, is playing its last concert tonight at The Grand Opera House in Macon, Georgia. The MSO concludes a 40-year run and end its existence due to decreasing ticket sales and declining corporate support. Read More →

Herbert Blomstedt
(c) Accentus

Anlässlich der Verleihung der Ehrenmedaille der Stadt Leipzig an den schwedischen Dirigenten Professor Herbert Blomstedt für seine herausragenden Verdienste um das kulturelle Leben der Stadt würdigte die sächsische Staatsministerin für Wissenschaft und Kunst, Dr. Eva-Maria Stange, heute den Künstler, dessen « sechs Dekaden des Schaffens für mehrere Musikergenerationen Inspiration und Vorbild“ gewesen seien. Read More →

Lang Lang
(c) Deutsche Grammophon

Lang Lang has cancelled his November 2017-tour in Europe and Asia with the Berlin Philharmonic due to a tendinitis in the left arm. According to a press release of the Berlin Philharmonic, Lang Lang will need more time to cure the disease. As a consequence the recital scheduled for April 9, 2018, is also cancelled and will not be replaced.

Gustavo Dudamel

After the cancellation of another concert tour by the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra by Venezuela’s dictator Maduro, Gustavo Dudamel has published a very emotional message on his Facebook page.

« My heart is broken by the Venezuelan government’s cancellation of another tour by an El Sistema orchestra. Read More →

One of Obama’s big mistakes was the cancellation of funding for the Paris-based UNESCO, the United Nations cultural organization. And it was probably the only Obama decision that POTUS Trump endorsed. Today his administration announced that it would end its membership because of its “anti-Israel bias.” The United States withdrawal goes into effect at the end of 2018. However the US want to keep an observer status. The International Counceil of Music (CIM) is part of UNESCO.