Maestro move: Bratislava grabs roaming Brit stick
mainThe widely-travelled James Judd, 66, is to be music director of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra from 2017.
He was formerly music director in Florida and New Zealand.
press release:
The British conductor James Judd becomes the new Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra for an initial three year period with effect from the orchestra’s 69th season 2017/18. In his first season he will conduct six double concerts and the opening concert of the 2017 Bratislava Festival. His next visit is scheduled for May 2017 with two different programmes, one featuring Ernő Dohnányi’s second symphony, the other Beethoven Symphony No 7. Maestro Judd, who is also chief conductor of the Israel Symphony Orchestra and New York’s Little Orchestra Society says of his new appointment “I feel proud and privileged to be connected to this orchestra which has such a profoundly interesting historical background. I am looking forward to continuing and developing the wonderful tradition of this great Slovakian cultural icon.”
This is not just great news for Slovakia, it’s wonderful that James Judd will be spending more time in Europe! We’re delighted!
He is currently also music director of The Little Orchestra Society of New York.
Congrats – I have worked with him – he is a gifted musician and a wonderful person.
We liked and appreciated him in New Zealand, too.
Yes indeed, as Barbara has already said above, he was also much appreciated and liked here in New Zealand – and he still is, he’s conducted concerts here this year as well, most notably a superb gala concert with Renée Fleming just a few weeks ago. He also conducted a popular concert of “classical hits”, which turned out to be a particularly enjoyable programme of its kind, both of these concerts generating a genuinely festive atmosphere as well. His Elgar is especially good (I remember him conducting a very powerful First Symphony here years ago), while in 2011 he also led the NZSO National Youth Orchestra performing Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony, which was issued on CD as a commercial recording, which even with these young players was a first-rate reading, beautifully conducted and played. Anyway, it was good to see him back again after his time as Music Director from 1999-2007. He still has the title of “Music Director Emeritus” for the NZSO – https://www.nzso.co.nz/about/meet-the-nzso/music-director-emeritus/ – so hopefully we will still be seeing more of him.