The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has appointed flutist Nikolai Song as its new Principal Flute, just days after unveiling its 2026–27 classical season under the artistic leadership of Manfred Honeck.
Song will hold the Jackman Pfouts Flute Chair.
A new principal flute
Song most recently served as Acting Principal Flute with the Berner Symphonieorchester in Switzerland. Before that, he was appointed Assistant Principal Flute of the Sinfonieorchester Basel at the age of eighteen.
He has appeared as Guest Principal Flute with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg and other European ensembles. He is also a member of the Verbier Festival Orchestra.
A recipient of the ICMA Discovery Award, Song has performed as a soloist with the Basque National Orchestra, the Barcelona Baroque Orchestra at the Festival Pablo Casals, the Orchestre National de Cannes and the Odense Symphony Orchestra during the Carl Nielsen International Competition.
He studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris with Philippe Bernold and Florence Souchard-Delépine before completing a Soloist Diploma at the Haute École de Musique de Genève under Jacques Zoon.
A season of premieres and anniversaries
The orchestra’s 2026–27 season marks Honeck’s 19th season as Music Director and includes nine artist debuts, three world premieres, two US premieres and ten PSO premieres.
Among the highlights is a Beethoven focus marking the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death. The orchestra will perform Beethoven’s Mass in C major (PSO premiere), as well as a programme featuring the Fifth Symphony and the Violin Concerto, with Augustin Hadelich as soloist.
In April 2027, the PSO will present an all-Mozart weekend led by Honeck and pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, including Piano Concertos Nos. 20 and 21 and Symphonies Nos. 40 and 41.
The season also continues the orchestra’s engagement with contemporary composers, with new works by Mason Bates and Nick DiBerardino, as well as co-commissions from Juri Reinvere, Samy Moussa and Carlos Simon. Among the recording projects announced are Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with Principal Clarinet Michael Rusinek, Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2, and a Honeck/Ille arrangement from Korngold’s Die tote Stadt.
The 2026–27 programme further features appearances by Lang Lang, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Kirill Gerstein, Jeanine De Bique and Karina Canellakis, among others.
With a major personnel appointment and an ambitious artistic season now confirmed, the Pittsburgh Symphony continues to consolidate its position among leading American orchestras.
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