Vienna fast-hires two concertmasters
OrchestrasThe Wiener Symphoniker – the city’s second-ranked orchestra – has quietly presented two new concertmasters.
They are Dumitru Pocitari and Kirill Maximov.
Pocitari, 32, is a Moldavian, concertmaster of the Israel Philharmonic and an ex-student of Julian Rachlin in Vienna. He is the second concertmaster to quit the Israel Philharmonic in 18 months.
Maximov, also Moldavian, has been concertmaster of Vienna’s lower-ranked Tonkünstler orchestra.
These are local hires, covering serious frontline gaps in the Symphoniker.
both men…
Their strings play even longer after the beat than the VPO.
What the Wiener Symphoniker needs is better leadership (institutionally and musically). Hopefully things will be better in the latter with Popelka.
And yes, the Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich is a lower-ranked orchestra, but the is not exactly a viennese orchestra. It is the orchestra of Lower Austria and officially based in Sankt Pölten, although they repeat most of their programs at the Musikverein in Vienna.
Israel Philharmonic has now same sad situation which was quite recently in Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Seven years ago they lost 2/3 in their concertmasters leaving Helene Collerette alone. Luckily now they have all three positions filled.
In Israel the situation is more bad because they are also looking new associate / 2nd concertmaster (4th member in their CMs) so Ilya Konovalov is now really alone in there. But luckily Isreal Phil is Israel Phil – one of the world best orchestras so I hope / believe that they can find quite easily new players who really want to play with IPO
This is really sad for the IPO and may be difficult to overcome. I could understand Radzynski (hope the spelling is right) who left to Cleveland – he is American and Cleveland is top notch. But leaving to the troubled VSO????? This may perhaps be an indication of leadership issues under Shani.
Right now they have 7 concertmasters. I would not call that “serious frontline gap”.
What a genius observation!
Have you checked their pronouns? Maybe they identify as she/her or even they!
Please have more respect when making such inconsiderate judgements:)
The IPO will “survive”- The orchestra under Shani is probably in it’s best form in it’s long and illustrious history. I heard the VSO live last season and this orchestra is vastly inferior compared to the IPO: Dumitru Pocitari, a moldavian- probably felt better in the cosmopolitan Vienna. But the IPO with the great tradition of Jewish violinists will surely fill the void.
Now they have 4 “first” concertmasters – 2 “third” and 1 “fourth” – quite crowded at the very top (?)