For the first time in the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s (VPO) 183-year history, its musicians voted to add a musician of East Asian descent.  Hanna Cho, a Korean-American violinist born in Seoul but raised and educated in the United … » Read

As of December 31, 2025, Sue Dixon will resign from Portland Opera after 11 years, the last six as general director . She had told the board of directors of her plans a year ago, timing her departure to coincide with the completion of the … » Read

When NY Times Culture Editor Sia Michel moved the New York Times’s top performing arts critics off their respective beats (not to mention areas of expertise) in July, she said all would be reassigned. Jesse Green, former theater critic, … » Read

In many chamber settings, the viola tends to blend into the texture—which made Emma Wernig’s playing all the more striking when I first encountered her last August on opening weekend at Tippet Rise, the remote Montana arts center. … » Read

The Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO) has tapped veteran conductor Carl St.Clair as its new music director. The maestro, who debuted with the TPO in 2019, recently concluded his 35-year tenure as music director of the Pacific Symphony, where … » Read

The Houston Symphony has extended the tenure of Music Director Juraj Valcuha , first appointed to the position in 2022, through the 2027–28 season. In a statement, Gary Ginstling, the orchestra’s executive director and CEO, praised … » Read

Pekka Kuusisto will begin his tenure as chief conductor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra (TMSO) beginning in April 2028 for an initial term of three years. He succeeds Kazushi Ono, in the post since the 2015-16 season, whose contract … » Read

The Curtis Institute of Music has named one of its most illustrious alumna—superstar pianist Yuja Wang—to a new position as “artistic collaborator.” She will not become a piano professor or give weekly studio lessons; the … » Read

Beginning with the 2026/2027 season, Elias Grandy will succeed Petr Popelka as chief conductor and artistic director of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. The German-Japanese conductor first collaborated with the ensemble in March 2025, … » Read

The National Symphony Orchestra Ireland (NSOI), formerly the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, has named Alexander Shelley to be its next principal conductor starting in fall of 2026, for three seasons. He succeeds Jaime Martin, who stepped … » Read