Music director steps down after 31 years
OrchestrasIt’s not often we bring you news from Wisconsin.
The latest is that the music director of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, John DeMain (pictured), has decided to leave at the end of the season, his 31st in charge.
Two candidates are being mooted – local conductor Kyle Knox, who is married to the concertmaster, an expat Madisonian Kenneth Wood, who has an orchestra in England.
He’s also music director of Madison Opera. Does anyone know if he will continue with them?
I’m in the orchestra and when he announced to us at rehearsal, he indicated had would continue conducting opera in Madison and elsewhere,
John has done a great job in building the Madison Symphony. All the best to him as he goes to the next chapter in life.
I’m not sure how you arrived at the conclusory paragraph, but the search is only now underway and will be casting a wide net that will include many qualified candidates. The two you mention may be included in the search, but are not finalists as your article seems to suggest. Please be better more thorough in the future
Mark, you are right! From a member of the orchestra
John Demain did great work in Madison, but his conducting footprint is vast, especially in opera. Among many other engagements, he led the Houston Grand Opera many years with premieres of operas by Bernstein. Adams, Floyd & Tippet. His recording and performances of the complete version of Porgy & Bess was just stunning.
John DeMain cut his teeth as music director of Houston Grand Opera. There, he conducted the world premiere of Carlisle Floyd operas and Nixon in China in 1987. We were performing in the new Worthan Theater Center when an automated announcement said “There has been an incident. Exit the hall immediately.” John was the first one to jump over the pit railing and quickly leave the hall. It turned out to be a false alarm, but John eventually left the opera pit for a symphony orchestra. I knew him to be a very fine musician with a good ear and a passion for music. What more could any orchestra musician want from a conductor? Best wishes, John, with whatever you now chose to do.
In the 1970’s, John DeMain conducted the Houston Grand Opera production of PORGY AND BESS, and its subsequent recording for RCA.
Nice story.
One might note that the Madison Symphony is doing very well and plays in a $260 million dollar hall designed by
César Pelli called Overture Center. It seats about 2,300.
Do you know something we don’t? The announcement was that John would retire at the end of the 2025-2026 season, not the current season. https://madisonsymphony.org/ns-press-release-john-demain-to-pass-baton/
John DeMain is a criminally underrated conductor who has had to toil away in the provinces. His Porgy and Bess 1977 recording is definitive.
I have had the pleasure of hearing him conduct many times at the now-defunct Opera Pacific.
I’m not sure where you sourced this information, but this entire article is completely inaccurate and wildly speculative. Please refer to the MSO’s official press release. John is not stepping down for another three years and there are no candidates being “mooted” at this time. A search committee is being formed. https://madisonsymphony.org/ns-press-release-john-demain-to-pass-baton/
This is actually incorrect. Maestro Demain will leave at the end of the orchestra’s 100th season, which is the 25-26 season. The press release can be accessed at https://madisonsymphony.org/ns-press-release-john-demain-to-pass-baton/.
John is a very fine conductor, both of opera and symphony, and is going to be sorely missed. I hope Madison can find someone as committed to the community as John.