Douglas Boyd opened the first three weeks of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra's new collaboration inspiring and charming his musicians and audiences as the Orchestra's first Artistic Partner.

Back home, he is a favorite in the big symphonic repertoire with the BBC Symphony, Royal Scottish National, and debuts next year with the Philharmonia and has assumed Marin Alsop's former role as Principal Guest with the City of London Sinfonia. As Music Director of the Manchester Camerata, he has made them into a major ensemble. BBC Magazine gave their Beethoven recording five stars comparing their Beethoven No. 2 to Toscanini and their Beethoven No. 5 to Kleiber.

Peter Oundjian opened his Music Directorship of the Toronto Symphony with four scintillating programs. The orchestra was the star in the opening week with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, a new work by the gifted young Canadian composer Matthew Whittall, and Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances. The following week Peter brought three Gala programs, each with a distinguished soloist: Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma, and Renee Fleming. The whirlwind two weeks were filmed (150 hours) for another great Rhombus Media documentary which will show why Peter is one of today’s most sought-after conductors.

Sir Simon Rattle has been giving revelatory concerts on tour with the Berlin Philharmonic including the Salzburg and Lucerne Festivals and London Proms. In November, they are off for a three week tour of Japan and their EMI recording of Messiaen’s Éclairs sur L'au-Delà has received great critical acclaim.

Jaime Laredo once again captivated the Hollywood Bowl audience and inspired the L.A. Philharmonic musicians as conductor/soloist as he does wherever he goes, including: Cincinnati, St. Louis, Chicago, Seattle, St. Paul, New Jersey, among others.
 

Junichi Hirokami got rousing receptions for his Mahler No. 8 with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and the Tokyo Philharmonic. This season includes return engagements with the Vancouver Symphony, Chailly’s orchestra in Milan, the Columbus Symphony, and, at the invitation of Yuri Temirkanov, his first performances with St. Petersburg (Russia) and Baltimore.

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