JUNE 6, 2025
David Radzynski named concertmaster of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester
The NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester has appointed David Radzynski as its new concertmaster, effective August 1, 2025. He succeeds Roland Greutter, who retired in 2023 after more than 40 years in the role.
A former concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Radzynski will debut in his new position at summer festivals in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Stockholm, and Grafenegg, followed by the season-opening concerts at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg on September 5 and 6.
Chief conductor Alan Gilbert praised Radzynski as “a wonderful musician and a first-class concertmaster.”
Born in 1986 in New Haven, Radzynski has appeared as guest concertmaster with leading U.S. orchestras and performed as a soloist with ensembles including the Israel Philharmonic and the Warsaw Philharmonic. A passionate chamber musician, he has collaborated with Emanuel Ax, Pinchas Zukerman, and Martha Argerich.
*****
JUNE 6, 2025
Rodolfo Saglimbeni, Venezuelan conductor, dies at 62
Rodolfo Saglimbeni, music director of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile, has died in Caracas at the age of 62. A key figure in Latin American music, he led the Chilean orchestra since 2019, building on a long relationship that began in 1999 when he received the Premio Director de las Américas.
Saglimbeni’s career spanned several decades and continents. He worked with major orchestras across Europe, the Americas, and the U.S., and held leading roles at the Fundación Teatro Teresa Carreño, the Sinfónica Municipal de Caracas, and the Orquesta de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. His work earned him honors including the Order “Waraira Repano”, the ARAM title from the Royal Academy of Music, and the Order of the Star of Italy.
A memorial is being held at the Teatro Universidad de Chile. Among the tributes shared, Gustavo Dudamel wrote:
“My dear Rodolfo, you were, are and always will be an inspiration to me. Thank you for your generosity to all of us. You will always be present in every note we play. With honor and eternal glory.”
*****
JUNE 5, 2025
Mallwitz and Rempe present Konzerthaus Berlin’s 2025–26 season
The Konzerthaus Berlin has unveiled its 2025–26 season, the first under incoming director Tobias Rempe. Together with chief conductor Joana Mallwitz, Rempe introduces a program focused on opening the institution to the city, including new formats like the “Berlin Tracks” concert series and the late-night salon “Herz über Kopf”, hosted in its first edition by actor Charly Hübner.
Pianist Alice Sara Ott will serve as Artist in Residence, performing in orchestral, chamber, and solo contexts, and opening the season with the world premiere of a piano concerto by Bryce Dessner, who will be Composer in Residence. Other Dessner works featured include his Violin Concerto with Pekka Kuusisto and Symphony for cello, performed by the Konzerthausorchester Berlin under Iván Fischer.
Season highlights include a five-day homage to Nadia and Lili Boulanger in November 2025 and the February 2026 festival “Vom Anfangen”, exploring the theme of beginnings across genres. The season concludes with Haydn’s Creation and a spring tour with Mallwitz and Alice Sara Ott to cities including Essen, Hamburg, and Cologne.
For more info visit Konzerthaus Berlin
*****
JUNE 4, 2025
Jörg Widmann named next artistic director of Lucerne Festival Academy
Jörg Widmann has been appointed the next Artistic Director of the Lucerne Festival Academy, beginning in January 2026. The composer, clarinetist, and conductor will succeed Wolfgang Rihm, who passed away in 2024.
Founded by Pierre Boulez in 2003, the Lucerne Festival Academy is a pioneering platform for contemporary music, bringing together emerging composers, instrumentalists, and conductors each summer to explore the repertoire of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Widmann called the appointment a “great honor” and expressed his commitment to “embedding contemporary music even more deeply in the festival’s programming.” His selection was announced by Sebastian Nordmann, the incoming Executive and Artistic Director of Lucerne Festival.
*****
JUNE 4, 2025
Fiona Stevens appointed managing director of Basel Sinfonietta
The Basel Sinfonietta, a leading symphonic ensemble dedicated to contemporary music, has appointed Fiona Stevens as its new Managing Director. She succeeds Daniela Martin in the role.
Stevens previously led the Baroque orchestra Concerto Köln from 2021 to 2024. A violinist and musicologist, she studied at Cambridge, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, and The Hague, and earned a doctorate from the University of Southampton in 2017. She is currently a fellow of the DeVos Institute of Arts Management, focusing on sustainability and strategic planning in the arts.
Founded in 1980, the Basel Sinfonietta is known for its innovative programming and commitment to new music, having premiered more than 220 works since its inception.
PH: fionastevens.net
*****
June 3, 2025
Donald Palumbo named new director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association has appointed Donald Palumbo as the new Chorus Director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, one of America’s most acclaimed vocal ensembles. Palumbo becomes only the third person to hold the position in the Chorus’s 67-year history, following Duain Wolfe and founding director Margaret Hillis.
His appointment follows a multi-season, national search and will begin officially on July 1, 2025, for an initial three-year term. Palumbo, a highly respected figure in the world of opera and choral music, previously served as Chorus Master of the Metropolitan Opera (2007–2024) and the Lyric Opera of Chicago (1991–2007).
He will first lead the Chorus as director in a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 at the Ravinia Festival on July 18, conducted by Marin Alsop. Prior to that, he prepares the ensemble as guest chorus director for Verdi’s Requiem under Riccardo Muti from June 19–24.
Palumbo said he was “extremely honored” to lead the Chorus, which he called the “gold standard for choral singing.” CSOA President Jeff Alexander welcomed the appointment, noting Palumbo’s ability to “create an atmosphere of collaboration that yields exceptional artistry.”
*****
Six finalists announced at the Cliburn 2025
After three weeks of competition, the 2025 Cliburn International Piano Competition has revealed its six finalists. Chosen from an original pool of 28 pianists from around the world, these outstanding artists now prepare for the final round, where they will each perform two concertos with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Marin Alsop, from June 3 to 7.
Held every four years in Fort Worth, Texas, the Cliburn is one of the most prestigious events in the piano world. Its most recent winner, Yunchan Lim, became an international sensation in 2022 after his now-legendary performance of Rachmaninov’s Third Concerto.
This year’s finalists are:
Aristo Sham (Hong Kong, 29)
Angel Stanislav Wang (United States, 22)
Evren Ozel (United States, 26)
Vitaly Starikov (Israel/Russia, 30)
Carter Johnson (Canada/United States, 28)
Philipp Lynov (Russia, 26)
The final round programs range from Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Schumann to Prokofiev, Bartók, and Rachmaninov—offering a wide spectrum of pianistic and orchestral challenges.
The chart below, created by Álvaro Varela de Marco, offers a visual breakdown of the finalists’ nationalities. For a deeper look into the full data analysis of the 2025 Cliburn Competition—including gender, national origin, and concerto choices—you can view the complete report focused on the final round here.
*****
Subscribe to our newsletter