Haitink family funds Concertgebouw conductor

It was announced today that the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has created an associate conductor post, funded for two seasons by the Haitink family.

The first Bernard Haitink Associate Conductor will be Aurel Dawidiuk from Hanover, selected on audition by the C’bouw’s incoming chief Klaus Mäkelä.

Haitink’s widow Patricia Haitink said, ‘Bernard felt that he’d had tremendous luck in his own career as a young conductor, and wanted to create opportunities for his younger colleagues. This scheme enables a young conductor to have real, active engagement with a great orchestra, and with some of the very best conductors and soloists. It opens the possibility for a talented young artist to move to the next stage of their career.’