July 22, 2007

It’s this week in classical music, an update on what’s happening in the classical music world, I’m Randy Kinkel.

The New York Philharmonic has picked a new music director—it’s 40-year-old conductor Alan Gilbert, the son of two Philharmonic musicians who has led the philharmonic in 31 concerts previously.  Gilbert is the first native New Yorker and one of the few Americans to hold the position.  Orchestra president Zarin Mehta said, “Every time he’s come here, it’s been better than the prior time…we’ve watched him grow.  He’s a good Musician. He’s young and a New Yorker, and has family in the orchestra.”  Gilbert’s 5 year contract will start in 2009.

Tenor Jerry Hadley passed away Wednesday at a hospital in Poughkeepsie , New York. He was 55. Hadley, known for his lyrical voice and engaging stage personality and his contributions to operatic and crossover musical projects, had been hospitalized for a week after being admitted because of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

Conductor Kurt Masur celebrated his 80^th birthday last week at the London proms, conducting the London Philharmonic and the National Orchestra of France in Bruckner and Tchaikovsky.  Masur’s longest tenure was with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, where he spent 27 years.

In related maestro news, Daniele Gatti has been named replacement for Kurt Masur as Music director of the National Orchestra of France.  Gatti takes the helm full time September 1, 2008 for a term of five years.

For more information on these and other items and events, go to the KBAQ website at KBAQ-dot-org.  Be listening every week at this time for another update, and join me at noon every weekday for the Mozart Buffet, an hour of music by Mozart and his contemporaries, … I’m Randy Kinkel, for KBAQ’s  “This week in Classical Music”…  on 89-five KBAQ, K-B-A-Q Phoenix, a service of Rio Salado College and Arizona State University