Mahler gets ex-Vienna concertmaster
OrchestrasThe Mahler Chamber Orchestra has hired José Maria Blumenschein of Cologne’s WDR Radio Symphony Orchestra as joint concertmaster with Matthew Truscott.
Blumschein, 38, is a Curtis graduate.
Latterly, he took two seasons out to play as first concertmaster of the Vienna State Opera and Philharmonic, taking over from the veteran Rainer Küchl. Somehow, that did not work out.
Blumenschein is very fine and gifted musician. It will be a loss for the WDR Symphony Orchestra, but a gain to the Mahler.
Legend.
A fine musician indeed! However, I assume he’ll stay on in Cologne, MCO is no full-time job?
Let’s keep fingers crossed that my spontaneous assumption is wrong (see my seperate comment) and that you are right! That woud be a win-win for everybody.
WDR SO confirmed on their FB page that he‘ll continue there!
I would assume that by age 38 one has outgrown the distinction of being a graduate of a particular school. Geez, that was probably nearly 16 years ago or so. Certainly he’s accomplished much else since his university matriculation some 20 years ago?
Great choice by the Mahler Chambera Orchestra conductors Daniele Gatti and Daniel Harding.