James Bagwell, director of the music program at Bard College, has been appointed principal conductor at the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra and the Berkshire Bach Society, where he will also be director of choral music. The new jobs are additional to … » Read

Gabriela Lena Frank is on a roll. On May 5, Musical America’s Composer of the Year for 2026 was awarded the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Music for Picaflor: A future myth ,” a work inspired by Andean mythology, climate activism, and … » Read

Lithuanian conductor Giedre Šlekyte is to be the next music director of The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) as of 2027-28. She succeeds Thomas Søndergård, in the position since 2018; he becomes emeritus while she … » Read

Philadelphia Ballet Music Director Beatrice Jona Affron is to become associate music director of the New York City Ballet as of Aug. 1, working with Music Director Andrew Litton and succeeding Andrews Sill, who is retiring. Affron has been with … » Read

Manuela Hoelterhoff, 1983 Pulitzer Prize winner for arts criticism, book author, opera librettist, editor, and one of a small circle of late 20 th -century power-broking New York artistic intellectuals, died in Manhattan on May 6 at the age of … » Read

American violinist and conductor Scott Yoo, music director of the Mexico City Philharmonic since 2016, is to be the next head of the Orquesta Filarmónica de la UNAM (Philharmonic Orchestra of the National Autonomous University of Mexico) … » Read

Lest soprano Lise Davidsen’s newfound motherhood—her twin boys are now about a year old—lead to concern that she might shun career opportunities, such as her upcoming role debut as Brünnhilde next season at the Met Opera, … » Read

Two string quartets have announced personnel changes. Toby White is the new cellist for the U.K.-based Villiers Quartet, where he succeeds Leo Melvin. After studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for his artist’s diploma, he … » Read

Lecolion Washington, Jr. will succeed David Snead as president and CEO of the Handel and Haydn Society as of August 1. Snead retired in May of 2025. Washington, executive director of the Community Music Center of Boston (CMCB) was a 2026 Musical … » Read

Seymour Bernstein, whose promising career as a pianist was cut short by stage fright, died on April 30 in Maine. He was 99. Before he turned 30, Bernstein was regularly receiving rave reviews for his performances. The New York Times declared his … » Read