Pass the baton
The Colorado Symphony has announced that Principal Conductor Peter Oundjian will be elevated to Music Director, signing a four-year contract beginning in the 2025-26 season. Oundjian, renowned for his vibrant collaborative spirit and engaging musicianship, has expressed his profound honour and excitement to step into this new role. With a career spanning five decades, Oundjian has led orchestras in virtually every major musical centre in the world. His tenure as Principal Conductor of the Colorado Symphony has overseen the orchestra’s remarkable emergence from the Covid-19 pandemic, presiding over its most successful period this century. In addition to his work with the Colorado Symphony, Oundjian has served as Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and has been Music Director of the Colorado Music Festival since 2019.
The Concord Chamber Music Society (CCMS) has announced the appointment of Daniel Chong and Jessica Bodner, founding members of the GRAMMY Award-winning Parker Quartet, as its new Co-Artistic Directors, effective from the 2025-26 season. As CCMS celebrates its 25th season, the new Co-Artistic Directors plan to honour the organisation’s impressive legacy while contributing to its growth through inspiring and innovative programming. They aim to expand its reach through performances at non-traditional venues, deepen community and educational engagements, and work towards establishing a dedicated concert venue for the organisation.
Sarasota Orchestra has named six-time Grammy Award-winning conductor Giancarlo Guerrero as its new Music Director following a two-year search after the death of Bramwell Tovey. Guerrero, who first guest-conducted the orchestra in January
2023, has signed an initial six-year contract.
During the 2024-25 season, he will serve as
Music Director Designate before fully assuming the role in autumn 2025. In addition to his work with the Sarasota Orchestra, Guerrero will continue to guest conduct internationally and serve his final year as Music Director of the Nashville Symphony before transitioning to a Music Director Emeritus role there.
The Seattle Symphony has named Xian Zhang as its next Music Director, beginning a five-year contract in the 2025-26 season. Zhang, who has
a long-standing relationship with the symphony dating back to her debut at Benaroya Hall in 2008, has gained international acclaim for her work as Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony.
She has also guest conducted major orchestras such as the Metropolitan Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Boston Symphony Orchestra. Known for her commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts, Zhang has been a trailblazer as the first woman to serve
as Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony,
and she will now be the first to lead a major West Coast orchestra.
