More than 200 composers, conductors, performers, cultural managers, writers, and academics have signed a public letter expressing their support for Baldur Brönnimann, music director of the Real Filharmonía de Galicia, and for the artistic project he develops together with the orchestra’s general manager, Sabela García Fonte.
The statement, circulated in recent days and reported by several Spanish outlets, responds to what the signatories describe as “unverified information” and “subjective value judgments” published in parts of the press regarding Brönnimann’s artistic profile, the orchestra’s programming, and its current situation.
An international roster of signatories
Among the names attached to the letter are leading figures of contemporary music and the wider cultural sphere, including composers Helmut Lachenmann, Rebecca Saunders, Toshio Hosokawa, Chaya Czernowin, Jörg Widmann, Philippe Manoury, and Magnus Lindberg; conductors and performers such as François-Xavier Roth, Paul Hillier, Peter Rundel, and Irvine Arditti; and cultural leaders including Manuel Segade and Àlex Ollé.
In the text, the signatories stress that assessments based on personal taste or subjective opinion should not be confused with professional or analytically grounded criticism. They argue that, as a public cultural institution, the Real Filharmonía de Galicia has a responsibility to develop a coherent and demanding artistic programme, oriented toward the public interest, open and plural in its aesthetic outlook, and committed to dialogue between different musical languages and traditions. Within this framework, they underline that Baldur Brönnimann’s professional trajectory is widely recognised at an international level and should be evaluated within a context of specialised knowledge and informed artistic criteria. The letter also frames engagement with contemporary music not as an exclusionary choice, but as an essential component of a “living” orchestra capable of reflecting the present while remaining connected to its broader musical heritage. They cite Brönnimann’s collaborations with institutions such as the Lucerne Festival, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Teatro Colón, the WDR Sinfonieorchester, and the Donaueschingen Festival.
Why the letter was issued
The public show of support follows a series of critical articles published in Spanish media. One widely discussed piece, released on the specialised site MundoClásico , took the form of an extensive list of unanswered questions addressed to Brönnimann, touching on issues ranging from artistic priorities and audience figures to governance and working practices.
Separately, a report in El Correo Gallego quoted unnamed members of the orchestra and some long-standing subscribers who voiced concern about falling attendance, the prominence of contemporary repertoire, and the absence of high-profile guest artists. In the same article, the Consorcio de Santiago — the public body overseeing the orchestra — rejected the idea of a structural decline in audiences and reiterated its confidence in the current artistic and managerial leadership.
Institutional response
The Consorcio has maintained that the orchestra’s programming combines works from different periods with new commissions in line with common European practice, and that touring activity is currently limited by financial and logistical constraints.
Founded in 1996 and now marking its 30th anniversary, the Real Filharmonía de Galicia occupies a distinctive place in Spain’s orchestral landscape. The current debate brings together several recurring themes in today’s classical-music world: the role of contemporary repertoire in public institutions, questions of governance and internal consensus, and the challenge of sustaining audience engagement.
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The fact is more simple than that: there is a total divorce between conductor and orchestra. More than 80% vote for the no renewal of his contract and the “Consorcio” didn’t answer until now.
He should go. Period.