1 January – Barbara Laister-Ebner performs the zither solo in Tales from the Vienna Woods at the 2018 Vienna New Year's Concert, the first female zither player to do so in the history of the concert. Laister-Ebner also performed with the Vienna Philharmonic in the 30 December 2017 and 31 December 2017 performances of the same programme.[1]
2 January – The Paxton Festival announces that Helen Jamieson is to stand down as its artistic director in September 2018.[2]
5 January – Following her appointment as the new chairwoman of the Symphony Society of San Antonio, Kathleen Weir Vale announces a reversal of the prior 3 January 2018 board decision to suspend the remainder of the orchestra's 2017–2018 season. The previous chair of the organisation, Alice Viroslav, resigned the post on 4 January 2018.[6]
Arts Council England announces the appointment of Claire Mera-Nelson as director of Music and as director in its London office.[7]
The La Jolla Chamber Music Society announces the resignation of Kristin Lancino as its president, effective 12 January 2018. A news report the same day stated that Cho-Liang Lin is to stand down as the festival's music director in August 2018.[8]
The Saarland Minister für Bildung und Kultur announces the appointment of Sébastien Rouland as the next Generalmusikdirektor of the Saarländische Staatstheater, effective with the 2018–2019 season.[9]
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra announces the resignation of Charles Dutoit as its principal conductor and artistic adviser, with immediate effect, following allegations against Dutoit of inappropriate sexual behaviour. Dutoit had previously been scheduled to vacate the posts in 2019.[10]
From the Top announces the appointment of Gretchen Nielsen as its first-ever executive director, effective 1 March 2018.[11]
Radio France announces the appointment of Martina Batič as the next music director of the Chœur de Radio France, effective 1 September 2018, with an initial contract of 3 years.[12]
Sinfonia Viva announces the appointment of Frank Zielhorst as its new principal conductor, with immediate effect.[13]
The Symphony Society of San Antonio announces a new agreement with the musicians of the San Antonio Symphony, which allows for restoration of most of the orchestra's remaining 2017–2018 season.[14]
The Houston Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of John Mangum as its next executive director and chief executive officer, effective 16 April 2018.[15]
15 January – The Cumnock Tryst announces the appointment of Jean Nicholson as its new festival director.[16]
18 January – The Southbank Centre announces that Jude Kelly is to stand down as its artistic director, effective May 2018.[18]
22 January – The Académie des Beaux-Arts announces that Laurent Petitgirard is to conclude his music directorship of the Orchestre Colonne, two years ahead of the original schedule.[19]
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra announces that Robert Spano is to conclude his tenure as its music director at the close of the 2020–2021 season, and subsequently to take the title of conductor laureate.[21]
Creative Scotland announces the newest round of Regular Funding recipients for its next three-year programme, which includes the losses of £300,000 for the Dunedin Consort and of £550,000 for the Hebrides Ensemble.[22]
Newspaper accounts report that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation intends to dismantle its sound and reference libraries across Australia, with a single library to be retained in Melbourne.[26]
The Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Marin Alsop as its next chief conductor, effective 1 September 2019, with an initial contract of 3 years. She is the first female conductor to be named chief conductor of the Vienna RSO.[27]
Austin Opera announces the dismissal of Richard Buckley as its artistic director and principal conductor, with immediate effect, after allegations of harassment of an unspecified nature.[33]
6 February – Creative Scotland announces restoration of £300,000 funding for 3 years to the Dunedin Consort.[34]
8 February – The La Jolla Music Society announces the appointment of Inon Barnatan as the next music director of its SummerFest programme, effective with the 2019 summer season.[37]
Santa Fe Opera announces the appointments of Robert K. Meya as its next general director and of Alexander Neef as the first-ever artistic director of the company. In addition, Harry Bicket is to be elevated from chief conductor of the company to its music director. All three appointments are scheduled to be effective as of 1 October 2018.[39]
11 February – 50 years after its composition, Richard Reason's Dylan Thomas Song Cycle receives its first performance at Conway Hall.[40]
The Juilliard School announces the appointment of David Robertson as its next director of conducting studies, effective with the 2018–2019 academic year.[41]
The Centre de musique baroque de Versailles announces the election of Pierre Coppey as its next president.[44]
The Metropolitan Opera announces that Yannick Nézet-Séguin is to take the title of music director as of the 2018–2019 season, two seasons earlier than originally announced.[45]
19 February – National Sawdust announces Kayla Cashetta, Emma O'Halloran, and X. Lee as the first-ever prize winners of its inaugural Hildegard Competition "for emerging women and non-binary composers".[46]
Longborough Festival Opera announces the appointment of Polly Graham, daughter of festival founders Martin and Lizzie Graham, as its new artistic director, with immediate effect.[47]
The Juilliard String Quartet announces the appointment of Areta Zhulla as its new first violinist, effective September 2018, replacing Joseph Lin, who is to remain on the Juilliard faculty.[48]
The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of James M Johnson as its next executive director, effective 30 April 2018.[49]
The Omaha Symphony Orchestra announces the resignation of James M Johnson as its executive director, as of the end of April 2018.[50]
A news report states that Rafael Payare is to stand down as music director of the Ulster Orchestra as of the end of his current contract, at the close of the 2018–2019 season.[54]
The Takács Quartet announces the retirement of its violist, Károly Schranz, effective 1 May 2018, and the appointment of Harumi Rhodes as its new violist.[55]
The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra announces that Nicholas Heyward is to stand down as its managing director at the end of the 2017–2018 season.[56]
The Dresdner Musikfestspiele announces Joyce DiDonato as the recipient of its annual Prize, for 2018, for her work in music education.[57]
6 March – The Bavarian State Opera announces the appointments of Serge Dorny as its next Intendant, and of Vladimir Jurowski as its next Generalmusikdirektor, effective with the 2021–2022 season.[58]
7 March – The city of Aachen announces the appointment of Christopher Ward as its next Generalmusikdirektor, effective 1 August 2018.[59]
English National Opera announces the appointment of Stuart Murphy as its next chief executive, effective 3 April 2018.[60]
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance announces its 'Venus Blazing' programme for the 2018–2019 academic year, with the commitment that music by female composers is to comprise at least 50% of the selections for its public performances.[61]
12 March – The Metropolitan Opera announces the full termination of its relationship with its former music director, James Levine, after a 3-month investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against him. This action includes the rescinding of his title of music director emeritus and dismissal of him as artistic director of its young artists program.[63]
20 March – The Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe announces the appointment of Nicole Braunger as its new director of opera (Operdirektorin), the first woman to be named to the post, effective with the 2018–2019 season.[66]
24 March – Glyndebourne announces the prize winners of its inaugural Glyndebourne Opera Cup competition:[67]
Overall winner: Samantha Hankey
Second place: Jacquelyn Stucker
Third place: Elbenita Kajtazi
Ginette Theano prize (for most promising talent): Emily Pogorelc
Media prize: Samantha Hankey
Audience prize: Elbenita Kajtazi
26 March – The Philadelphia Orchestra announces the appointment of Matías Tarnopolsky as its next president and chief executive officer, effective August 2018, with an initial contract of 5 years.[68]
27 March – The Santa Rosa Symphony announces the appointment of Francesco Lecce-Chong as its next music director, effective with the 2018–2019 season, with an initial contract of 3 years.[69]
The High Court of Justice rules in favour of violist Christopher Goldscheier in his lawsuit against the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, for hearing damage from 'acoustic shock'.[71]
The Theater Kiel announces the appointment of Benjamin Reiners as its new Generalmusikdirektor (GMD), effective with the 2019–2020 season.[72]
The Minnesota Orchestra announces the appointment of Michelle Miller Burns as its next president and chief executive officer, effective 1 September 2018.[80]
18 April – Walter Vergnano submits his resignation as Intendant of the Teatro Regio of Turin, 15 months ahead of the expiration date of his contract.[82]
24 April – The Teatro Regio of Turin announces the nomination of William Graziosi as its next Intendant, in a communication to the Italian Ministry of Culture.[84]
25 April – The Bundesverband Musikindustrie announces the discontinuation of its ECHO Awards, after protests at the rap duo Kollegah and Farid Bang receiving an award based on sales numbers for their album Jung, Brutal, Gutaussehend 3, several lyrics from which have been deemed to be anti-Semitic. In protest, several classical music artists have returned their previous ECHO Awards, including Daniel Barenboim, Mariss Jansons, Igor Levit, and Christian Thielemann.[85]
The Radio Filharmonisch Orkest (RFO) announces the appointment of Karina Canellakis as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2019–2020 season, with an initial contract of 4 years. The RFO is the first Dutch orchestra ever to name a female conductor as its chief conductor.[94]
The Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra (NedPhO) announces that Marc Albrecht is to conclude his chief conductorship of the NedPhO, the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, and Dutch National Opera after the close of the 2019–2020 season.[95]
Florentine Opera announces the resignation of William Florescu as its general director, with immediate effect. On 16 May, the company released a further statement that Florescu's resignation was related to allegations of sexual misconduct.[97]
The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Elim Chan as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2019–2020 season. She is the first female conductor ever to be named to the post.[103]
Houston Grand Opera announces the appointment of Eun Sun Kim as its new principal guest conductor, the first female conductor ever named to the post.[104]
18 May – Eun Sun Kim conducts the opening concert of the Cincinnati May Festival, the first female conductor ever to conduct at the festival.[105]
The Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife announces the appointment of Antonio Méndez as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2018–2019 season.[106]
The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of James Ross as its next music director.[107]
The Theater Regensburg announces the appointment of Chin-Chao Lin as its next Generalmusikdirektor, effective with the 2018–2019 season.[111]
The Kansas City Symphony announces that Frank Byrne is to stand down as its executive director on 31 August 2019.[112]
The Berkeley Symphony announces that Joana Carneiro is to stand down as its music director at the end of the 2017–2018 season, at which time she is to take the title of music director emerita.[113]
4 June – The Dallas Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Fabio Luisi as its next music director, effective with the 2020–2021 season, with an initial contract of 5 seasons.[119]
12 June – The Philharmonisches Orchester Altenburg-Gera announces that Laurent Wagner is to conclude his tenure as its Generalmusikdirektor at the close of the 2019–2020 season.[123]
20 June – The Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra (Zlín) announces the appointment of Tomáš Brauner as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2018–2019 season.[125]
23 June – The Elora Singers announces the appointment of Mark Vuorinen as its new artistic director, after having served as interim artistic director since March 2018, following the resignation of Noel Edison.[126]
24 June – Never heard complete during the composer's lifetime, the opera Přijď království Tvé (Thy Kingdom Come) by Alois Hába receives its first performance at the Dny nové opery Ostrava (New Opera Days Ostrava) festival.[127]
The Bochum Symphony Orchestra (Bochumer Symphoniker) announces that Steven Sloane is to conclude his tenure as its Generalmusikdirektor (GMD) at the close of the 2020–2021 season.[130]
Zurich Opera announces the appointment of Gianandrea Noseda as its next Generalmusikdirektor, effective in 2021. In parallel, the company announces that Fabio Luisi is to stand down as its GMD in 2021.[134]
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO) announces that Vasily Petrenko is to conclude his tenure as its chief conductor as of the end of the 2020–2021 season, and subsequently to take the title of conductor laureate of the RLPO.[136]
Elizabeth Rowe, principal flautist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, files a lawsuit against the orchestra under the new Massachusetts Equal Pay Law, alleging salary inequities by the orchestra.[137]
3 July – The Governor General of Canada announces the investiture of François Mario Labbé and Earl Stafford as members of the Order of Canada.[138]
4 July – The Susan Chilcott Scholarship announces soprano Gemma Summerfield as the final recipient of the Chilcott Award.[139]
10 July – The Omaha Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Jennifer Boomgaarden as its next president and chief executive officer, effective 4 September 2018.[143]
The Japan Art Association announces Riccardo Muti as the 2018 Praemium Imperiale recipient in the field of music.[144]
The San Antonio Symphony announces the appointment of Michael Kaiser as its interim executive director, with immediate effect, and a scheduled conclusion at the close of 2018.[145]
From the Top announces that Christopher O'Riley is no longer to serve as host of its eponymous radio programme.[146]
24 July – The first performance of the new opera der verschwundene hochzeiter at the Bayreuth Festival takes place, the first world premiere at the Bayreuth Festival since 1882.[147]
The Washington Post publishes an article by Anne Midgette and Peggy McGlone that details past allegations of sexual misconduct by violinist William Preucil, conductor Daniele Gatti, and opera administrator Bernard Uzan.[150]
The Teatro Massimo di Palermo announces the appointment of Omer Meir Wellber as its next music director, effective January 2020.[151]
The Cleveland Orchestra announces the suspension of its concertmaster (leader), William Preucil, one day after publication in The Washington Post of allegations of sexual misbehaviour dating from 1998 against him.[152]
Oberlin College announces that Andrea Kalyn is to stand down as the Dean of the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music after the autumn 2018 semester.[153]
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra dismisses Daniele Gatti as its chief conductor, with immediate effect, after allegations of sexual misbehaviour against various female musicians, including musicians of the orchestra.[155]
The Portland Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Eckart Preu as its next music director, effective with the 2019–2020 season, with an initial contract of 3 seasons.[156]
10 August – The Minnesota Orchestra gives the first concert of its first-ever tour to South Africa at City Hall, Cape Town, the first American orchestra ever to perform in South Africa.[158]
20 August – The Malmö Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Robert Trevino as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2019–2020 season.[160]
The Staatstheater Darmstadt announces the appointment of Daniel Cohen as its next Generalmusikdirektor, effective October 2018, with an initial contract of 5 seasons.[165]
8 September – At the Philharmonie de Paris, Ralph van Raat gives the world premiere performance of the Prélude, Toccata et Scherzo by Pierre Boulez, originally composed in 1944, but banned by Boulez from live performance during his lifetime.[171]
The Paris Opera announces that Stéphane Lissner is to conclude his tenure as its general director at the conclusion of his contract of August 2021.[172]
Florida Grand Opera (FGO) announces that Susan T. Danis is to remain as the company's general director, following revelation of a defamatory letter by former FGO employee Graham Fandrei.[173]
The La Jolla Music Society announces that Susan T. Danis has rescinded her acceptance of the posts of its president and chief executive officer, in tandem with her decision to remain with Florida Grand Opera.[173]
The Theater Magdeburg announces the appointment of Anna Skryleva as its new General Music Director (Generalmusikdirektorin), effective with the 2019–2020 season.[174]
The Warsaw Philharmonic announces the appointment of Andrey Boreyko as its next artistic director and music director, effective with the 2019–2020 season.[175]
14 September – The Metropolitan Opera announces ratification of a new contract by unions for the company's orchestra, chorus and other groups to allow Sunday matinee performances by the company for the first time ever, starting with the 2019–2020 season.[177]
16 September – The New York Philharmonic announces the suspension of principal oboe Liang Wang and associate principal trumpet Matthew Muckey from the orchestra, following allegations of sexual misconduct against them.[179][180]
17 September – The Staatskapelle Halle announces the appointment of Ariane Matiakh as the new General Music Director (Generalmusikdirektorin) of the Theater, Oper und Orchester GmbH Halle, effective with the 2019–2020 season, the first female conductor ever to be named to the posts.[181]
The Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur Mainz announces Jörg Widmann as the 2018 winner of the Robert Schumann-Preis für Dichtung und Musik (Robert Schumann Prize for Poetry and Music).[182]
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Gustavo Gimeno as its next music director, effective with the 2020–2021 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.[183]
19 September – The Dresden Philharmonic announces the appointment of Marek Janowski to his second tenure as its chief conductor, effective with the 2019–2020 season, with an initial contract of 3 seasons.[184]
The Bergische Symphoniker announces the appointment of Daniel Huppert as its next Generalmusikdirektor (GMD), effective with the 2019–2020 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.[186]
The Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater and Mecklenburgische Staatskapelle Schwerin announce that Daniel Huppert is to conclude his tenure as the company's GMD at the close of the 2019–2020 season.[187]
26 September – The Jena Philharmonic announces the departure of Juliane Wandel as its Intendantin, just prior to the start of the 2018–2019 season.[188]
The Tiroler Landestheater und Symphonieorchester Innsbruck announces the appointment of Kerem Hasan as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2019–2020 season.[189]
Washington National Opera announces the appointment of Evan Rogister as its new principal conductor, with immediate effect, with an initial contract through the 2021–2022 season.[190]
3 October – The Oslo Philharmonic announces the appointment of Klaus Mäkelä as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2020–2021 season, with an initial contract of 3 seasons.[193]
The BBC Philharmonic announces the appointment of Omer Meir Wellber as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2019–2020 season, with an initial contract of 4 years.[194]
The orchestra musicians of Lyric Opera of Chicago take industrial action, in protest at the contract offering from company management that proposes reductions in the size of the orchestra.[197]
The Ames, Totenberg Stradivarius is formally lent to Nathan Meltzer, an 18-year old violin student at the Juilliard School, the first violinist to be presented with the instrument since its recovery.[198]
10 October – Boston Baroque announces the appointment of Jennifer Ritvo Hughes as its next executive director, effective 26 November 2018.[199]
11 October – The Theater Basel announces the appointment of Kristiina Poska as its next General Music Director (GMD; Generalmusikdirektorin), effective with the 2019–2020 season.[200]
14 October – The orchestra musicians of Lyric Opera of Chicago ratify a new labour agreement with the company's management, ending the work stoppage and acceding to most of the management demands.[201]
16 October – The Göttingen International Handel Festival announces the appointment of George Petrou as its next artistic director, effective with the 2021–2022 season.[202]
24 October – The Cleveland Orchestra dismisses William Preucil as its concertmaster (leader) and Massimo La Rosa as its principal trombonist with immediate effect, after a 3-month investigation into charges of sexual misconduct by each of them that determined the charges to be valid.[206]
27 October – The Mass Via Victrix of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford receives its first-ever complete performance, 99 years after its composition, in Cardiff by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the BBC National Chorus of Wales, and vocal soloists Kiandra Howarth, Jess Dandy, Ruairi Bowen, and Gareth Brynmor John.[207]
6 November – Glyndebourne Festival Opera announces the appointment of Ben Glassberg as the new principal conductor of the Glyndebourne Tour, with an initial contract of 3 years.[209]
The Würth Philharmoniker announces the appointment of Claudio Vandelli as its next chief conductor, effective 1 January 2020.[213]
Jacques Boucher and Valerie Tryon are each appointed a member of the Order of Canada.[214]
20 November – The Symphony No 2 of Julius Eastman, composed in 1983, receives its world premiere performance at Alice Tully Hall, New York City, with the Mannes Orchestra conducted by Luciano Chessa, who also edited the score.[215]
23 November – The Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition 2018 announces Felix Mildenberger as its winner, which includes the appointment of Mildenberger as the new assistant conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra for a 2-year period.[216]
The Hong Kong Sinfonietta announces that Yip Wing-sie is to conclude her tenure as its music director at the close of the 2019–2020 season.[217]
The Royal Northern College of Music announces the appointment of Sara Ascenso as its first-ever lecturer in Musicians' Health and Wellbeing, the first UK music institution ever to institute such a post.[218]
The San Francisco Symphony announces the appointment of Esa-Pekka Salonen as its next music director, effective with the 2020–2021 season, with an initial contract of 5 seasons.[225]
The Minnesota Orchestra announces that Osmo Vänskä is to conclude his tenure as its music director after the close of the 2021–2022 season.[226]
Graz Opera and the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra announce the appointment of Roland Kluttig as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2020–2021 season, with an initial contract of 3 seasons. In parallel, Oksana Lyniv is to stand down as GMD of both posts at the close of the 2019–2020 season.[228]
The Landestheater Coburg announces that Roland Kluttig is to conclude his tenure as GMD of the company at the close of the 2019–2020 season.[229]
The Südwestrundfunk (SWR) announces that Peter Boudgoust is to stand down as its Intendant (artistic director) in mid-2019, ahead of his current contract.[230]
17 December – The Philharmonie Südwestfalen announces the appointment of Nabil Shehata as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2019–2020 season.[234]
Steven Burke – In Time's Wake / Spring Fever / Fusion / Dream Forms
Benet Casablancas – 'The Art of the Ensemble' (Dove of Peace / Homage to Picasso / Octeto / Four Darks in RedMokusei Gardens / ...der graue Wald sich unter ihm schüttelte / Dance, Song and Celebration)
Laura Schwendinger – Creature Quartet: Hymn for Lost Creatures / Sudden Light / String Quartet / Song for Andrew
George Walker – Sinfonia No 5 (two versions, first recording; Sinfonia Varsovia; Ian Hobson)
Best Choral Performance: Gavin Bryars – The Fifth Century; The Crossing; PRISM Quartet; Donald Nally, conductor (ECM New Series)
Best Classical Compendium: Jennifer Higdon – All Things Majestic, Viola Concerto, Oboe Concerto; James Button, oboe; Roberto Diaz, viola; Nashville Symphony; Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor (Naxos)
Best Classical Instrumental Solo: Daniil Trifonov – Transcendental (Deutsche Grammophon)
Best Contemporary Classical Composition: Jennifer Higdon – Viola Concerto; Roberto Diaz, viola; Nashville Symphony; Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor (Naxos)
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: Crazy Girl Crazy – Barbara Hannigan and the Ludwig Orchestra (Alpha)
Best Opera Recording: Alban Berg – Wozzeck; Anne Schwanewilms, Roman Trekel, et al., singers; Chorus of Students And Alumni, Shepherd School of Music, Rice University & Houston Grand Opera Children's Chorus; Houston Symphony; Hans Graf, conductor (Naxos)
Best Engineered Album, Classical: Shostakovich – Symphony No. 5 / Barber – Adagio for Strings; Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; Manfred Honeck, conductor (Reference Recordings)
Best Orchestral Performance: Shostakovich – Symphony No. 5 / Barber – Adagio for Strings; Pittsburgh Symphony Orch
