Taichi Fukumura caps his first season as the Illinois Symphony's music director this weekend, in a year he says has exceeded expectations. As the maestro gets settled into his position, he’ll soon regularly be on the podium of one of the world’s greatest orchestras, too.

When you hear the word “conductor,” what—or who—do you picture? “It’s probably an older white man who looks very serious,” jokes Kevin Fitzgerald, the 32-year-old who is currently the Associate Conductor of the acclaimed Jacksonville Symphony in Florida. It’s no secret that the performing arts are very, very gay—from singers and dancers to mimes and magicians, LGBTQ+ folks simply love to put on a…

The jury of the German Conducting Award has awarded First prize to the young Peruvian Dayner Tafur-Díaz, 2nd Prize to Nathanaël Iselin and 3rd Prize to Claudio Novati. Dayner Tafur-Díaz is also the winner of the Kurt Masur Audience Award and of the Special Award for the best interpretation of a contemporary work. Born in 1998 in Chimbote (Peru), Dayner Tafur-Díaz won 1st Prize of the International…

The Hallé is delighted to announce that Kahchun Wong will become Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of Manchester’s own symphony orchestra from September 2024. His initial contract will be for five years. Sir Mark Elder, becomes Conductor Emeritus after twenty-four transformative years leaving the Hallé enriched and internationally admired as the orchestra looks ahead with confidence to…

Gustavo Dudamel, the charismatic conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, whose fiery baton and bouncy curls have made him one of classical music’s most recognizable figures, will leave his post in 2026 to become the music director of the New York Philharmonic, both orchestras announced on ...