Ignat Solzhenitsyn appointed 'Conductor Laureate' of
The Chamber
Orchestra of Philadelphia
The Chamber
Orchestra announces Dirk Brossé
as new Music Director
November
16, 2009 - Philadelphia, PA - Ignat Solzhenitsyn has announced
that the current season will be his last as Music Director of The Chamber
Orchestra of Philadelphia. He will transition to 'Conductor Laureate'
in the summer of 2010 and anticipates conducting at least one concert
program per season thereafter.
“I consider my years with
The Chamber Orchestra to have been highly fruitful and satisfying, a
time of mutual growth," said Maestro Solzhenitsyn."I am delighted
with the continued improvement the Orchestra has shown, and with my
musician-colleagues' willingness to strive toward ever greater excellence."
The Chamber
Orchestra and Maestro Solzhenitsyn have mutually agreed that his tenure
should end a year earlier in order to afford him the opportunity to
return to New York and focus on his increasing workload as a guest conductor
with symphony orchestras in the U.S., Europe, and Russia.
William H. Roberts, President
of the Orchestra's Board of Directors, said:"The musicians and
board of the Chamber Orchestra are extremely grateful for the years
that Maestro Solzhenitsyn has devoted major attention to the Orchestra.
During this period, the Orchestra's excellence and reputation have been
markedly enhanced by his thought-provoking leadership in programming,
the unremitting effort to attract and retain the finest musicians in
the Orchestra, collaborations with distinguished soloists, and, of course,
in a series of brilliant, acclaimed appearances on our podium and as
a piano soloist with the Orchestra. We are delighted that he remains
committed to our Orchestra as Conductor Laureate, remaining a treasured
feature in future seasons' concerts."
The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia
welcomes Maestro Dirk Brossé as its new Music Director. A conductor
and composer of international acclaim, Maestro Brossé most recently
conducted The Chamber Orchestra in its October Scandinavian Perspectives
program and appeared with the orchestra for 2008's performance of
Gustav Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. Maestro Brossé
will begin his term at the beginning of The Chamber Orchestra's 2010-2011
season. He will conduct four of the Orchestra's concert programs in
his first season as Music Director.
Maestro Brossé said:"It is a great honor and privilege to be appointed as the new Music
Director of The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. I thank Maestro Solzhenitsyn
for everything he has
done for the Orchestra as it
would never be where it stands now without his ongoing commitment, energy
and passion. I hope to maintain his precedent of artistic excellence
in leading the ensemble to perfection in the performance of classical
music. I look forward to getting to know the Chamber Orchestra's audiences
better and making new friends in the Philadelphia community."
Maestro Brossé is currently
touring the U.S. and Canada as Principal Conductor of the 50-city
Star Wars in Concert featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,
a position to which he was appointed by John
Williams. He has also appeared on the podiums of the London Symphony
Orchestra, the London Philharmonic, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the
Seoul Philharmonic, l'Orchestre de la Suisse-Romande, the Rotterdam
Philharmonic among others. His more than 200 compositions include classical
works as well as works for the theatre and film, and he has made over
60 recordings. For more information, visit
www.dirkbrosse.be.
In Maestro Solzhenitsyn's years
as Music Director, he helped guide the Orchestra through its move to
a permanent rehearsal and performance space as a founding resident company
at the Kimmel Center: doubling the number of programs per season;
increasing the number of subscribers and retention rates; expanding the
core group of musicians to thirty-three players (Solzhenitsyn has been
responsible for the hiring of almost half the current roster); shifting
repertoire emphasis to the Classical and modern periods, including a
strong commitment to new music; commissioning at least one new work
per season from such composers as Bruce Adolphe, Michael Hersch and
John Tavener; programming innovative multi-year cycles, such as the
complete symphonies of Schubert and the ongoing Mendelssohn cycle; establishing
assigned seating within the orchestra's sections (including twelve
principal chairs); and, above all, insisting on artistic excellence,
widely praised by the public and critics alike.
Peter H. Gistelinck, Executive
Director, said:"We are truly grateful to Maestro Solzhenitsyn for
all the work he has done over his years with The Chamber Orchestra and
especially for bringing the organization to the high level where it
stands now. We are extremely happy that Maestro Solzhenitsyn will be
continuing on as Conductor Laureate, and at the same time I welcome
Maestro Brossé as our incoming Music Director. I am pleased that he
will continue the traditions of Maestro Solzhenitsyn in our constant
attempt to achieve artistic excellence."