Two major European music festivals have announced new leaders for their youth orchestras. The Verbier Festival has appointed American conductor James Gaffigan [pictured] to be the next music director of the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra … » Read

From the Top , NPR’s 20-year-old showcase for rising young talent, is widening its focus, creating what its executive director characterizes as a “brain trust” of five cohosts, each of whom brings a distinctive perspective to … » Read

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) has tapped Peter Biggs as acting chief executive, succeeding Christopher Blake, who retired at the end of 2019. In the position for eight years, Blake is credited with leading the drive to find a new … » Read

An aggrieved Julian Lloyd Webber has threatened to quit as principal of the Royal Birmingham Conservatory (RBC) if government plans to drop a specialist music center grant to RBC are not revised. The Office for Students (OfS), the body in charge … » Read

The Detroit Symphony has identified its next music director as Italian conductor Jader Bignamini. Leading the orchestra’s concerts this weekend and on several other occasions this season, he takes the title in earnest the 2020-21 season, … » Read

Gail Samuel is getting a well-deserved promotion from her employer of 25 years. The current executive director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic is today named to the newly created post of president of the Hollywood Bowl, as well as COO of the LA … » Read

It must be the end of an era. Mark Volpe, CEO of the Boston Symphony for over two decades, is to retire at the end of February 2021. He will have been in the job for 23 years, leaving an unparalleled legacy for brilliant orchestra management in … » Read

Deborah Dugan is indeed “stepping up.” The embattled CEO of the Recording Academy, put on  administrative leave last week amid claims of bullying and a “formal allegation of misconduct," has filed her suit against the … » Read

Russian-born pianist and conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy is retiring from public performance. The 82-year-old maestro first gained public notice at the 1955 International Chopin  Piano Competition in Warsaw, where he won the silver medal. He … » Read

Susanna Mälkki, Musical America’s 2017 Conductor of the Year , has joined a rather elite group of maestros: Gustavo Dudamel, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Chilean-Italian conductor Paolo Bortolameolli. The four are the sole clients of Fidelio … » Read