Around the Music Festival

Barbara Hannigan of soprano will be appointed Principal guest conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in 2018/2019 season. Another Principal guest conductor is Christoph Eschenbach. Hannigan is from Canada, and she is active mainly in the field of contemporary music. Last year she has won the Grammy Award ‘Best Classic Solo Album’ on the album ‘Crazy Girl Crazy’. She has the experience of directing several past orchestras as conductor, and also “Crazy Girl Crazy” she was in charge of not only singing but also conducting. However, it is said that it is the first time to become a regular post of a prominent orchestra. Looking at guest conductors of Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra this season, women’s appointments such as Simone Young, Joana Carneiro serving as a guest conductor of the Lisbon-Gurbenkian Orchestra, Hanna Chang and others are conspicuous. After working as a cellist, Chang turned to the conductor and served as the chief conductor of the Norwegian Trondheim Symphony Orchestra from the 2017/2018 season. Meanwhile, names of Neeme Järvi (1982 – 2004) and Gustavo Dudamel (2007 – 2012) who served as music directors in the past have disappeared.