Bochum has chosen a successor to Steven Sloane as general music director.
He is Tung-Chieh Chuang, 38, a Curtis graduate from Taiwan. This is his first job.
Sloane, who departs with a Ring cycle, has moved on to head the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.
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Also a Hochschule für Musik FRANZ LISZT Weimar grad!
What is this perverse fetish with hiring fresh new music directors with little or no prior experience? Nothing against this particular conductor, who might be quite OK, but it just seems to have become the norm to hire a young music director as if each orchestra thinks they have found the next Dudamel Wunderkind. And again, sure this one is 38, but I am just reacting to the part Norman wrote that “this is his job”. I am sure that there are plenty of great conductors out there with over 20 years professional experience who would handle such a position even better.
I have no doubt about his qualifications:
https://www.dr.dk/presse/tung-chieh-chuang-er-vinder-af-malko-konkurrencen-2015
I don’t want to see good and experienced conductors overlooked, either, but you gotta start somewhere. He’s 38, and not without experience; it’s just his first time with the top job. https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/conductors/chieh_chuang/
Sorry for the typo: clearly I meant “I am just reacting to the part where Norman wrote that ‘This is his first job.’ “
By “job” or “first job,” what is meant is that this is his first permanent appointment. It doesn’t mean that he’s a novice; only that his previous conducting has been as a guest. Which is not an easy thing to do. (The comment is reminiscent of Gilda Radner’s “Emily Litella” on the original Saturday Night Live…)
Bochum isn’t Berlin, Allen.