KURT MASUR IN ITALY
Kurt Masur will guest conduct the Orchestra of La Fenice and the Cherubini Orchestra on successive weeks, May 16 and 17 and May 23 and 24. The first set of concerts, at La Fenice, feature an all-Mendelssohn program that includes the Reformation Symphony, the Ruy Blas and Hebridies Overtures, and the Märchen von der schönen Melusine. The following week, concerts with the Cherubini Orchestra in Cremona and Pisa will feature Haydn: Symphony No. 88, Bach: D Major Suite, and Mendelssohn: Italian Symphony. For complete details, see the Calendar.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE US TOUR
Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France in a tour of the Northeast US, from April 27 - May 2. The tour will feature performances in Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Newark and two concerts in New York. Maestro Masur will be joined by soloists Anne-Sophie Mutter and David Fray in programs including works of Beethoven, Bruckner, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky. For complete details, see the Tours section or the Calendar.

BONN MASTERCOURSE
Kurt Masur will lead a conducting mastercourse in Bonn from April 5-9. This is the second in a series of mastercourses about the art of conducting Beethoven, held in the city of the composer's birth. The course will focus on the Third and Fourth Symphonies, as well as the Egmont Overture, all of which will be featured in the culminating concert on April 9. For more details on this mastercourse, and on Maestro Masur's lifelong commitment to teaching young musicians, view the Education section.

MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC MASTERCOURSE
Kurt Masur will lead a week-long conducting mastercourse at Manhattan School of Music from March 24-28. The week will feature Maestro Masur working with ten young conductors during daily rehearsals, culminating in a public concert on the evening of the 28th led by the participants. The works that will be studied in the mastercourse are Siegfried Matthus: Manhattan Concerto (comissioned by Manhattan School of Music), Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 and Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 1. The mastercourse continues Maestro Masur's long relationship with Manhattan School of Music that began during his tenure as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic. Masur has led a mastercourse or conducted the student orchestra approximately every two years since then. For additional details, view the Education section.

ST. MATTHEW PASSION WITH NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
Kurt Masur will visit the New York Philharmonic in a set of four performances of Bach's St. Matthew Passion, March 19-22. Among the featured soloists will be Christine Libor, soprano; Anna Larsson, mezzo-soprano; Matthias Goerne, Baritone; and James Taylor as the Evangelist. They will be joined by the Westminster Symphonic Choir. Maestro Masur was named the Philharmonic's first Music Director Emeritus after leading the orchestra as Music Director from 1991-2002. For complete details on these concerts, see the Calendar.

GEWANDHAUS CONCERTS
Kurt Masur will return to Leipzig to lead two concerts with the Gewandhausorchester, March 6 and 7, 2008. The concerts will feature the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Anne-Sophie Mutter and Bruckner: Symphony No. 3. Maestro Masur is Laureate Conductor of the orchestra, having been named to that position in 1996. From 1970 until 1996, he led the orchestra as its Kapellmeister, making him one of the longest-tenured directors in the history of the legendary orchestra. For complete details on these concerts, see the Calendar.

ORCHESRTE NATIONAL DE FRANCE RESIDENCY IN VIENNA
Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France will travel to Vienna for the first three concerts in a five concert residency at the Musikverein, split between February and November 2008. All five concerts will feature a Bruckner symphony combined with one of the five Beethoven piano concertos, performed in order over the five concerts. On February 26, the first concerto will be performed by Martin Helmchen on a program with Bruckner's Ninth Symphony. David Fray will perform the second concerto on the 27th, with Bruckner's Seventh following after intermission. The third concerto will feature Till Fellner, with Bruckner's Fourth completing the concert on the 28th. For complete details, see the Calendar.

ORCHESRTE NATIONAL DE FRANCE RESIDENCY IN ESSEN
Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France will visit the Philharmionie in Essen for a three-concert residency February 1-3. All concerts will feature works from both the French and Germanic musical traditions. On February 1, the concert combines Schubert's Unfinished Symphony with Franck: Psyche. Schubert: Symphony No. 9 will be on the program on February 2, along with Beethoven: Romances for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 & 2 and Dutilleux: Sur le meme Accord with Anne-Sophie Mutter. Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, Debussy: La Mer and Ravel: La Valse make up the concert on February 3. For complete details, see the Calendar.

LONDON PHILHARMONIC IN BEIJING
Kurt Masur will lead the London Philharmonic Orchestra in two concerts at the new National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on January 5th and 6th. Masur and the LPO will be one of the first foreign orchestras to visit the new hall, which was inaugurated on December 22, 2007. The first concert will include Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 and Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5, with Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 and Brahms: Symphony No. 1 featured at the second. For complete details, see the Calendar.

NEGRI-WEIZMANN-PASTEUR INSTITUTE BENEFIT AT LA SCALA
On December 9, Kurt Masur will lead the orchestra and chorus of La Scala in a performance of Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 at the historic Milan opera house. The concert will feature soloists Malin Bistroem, soprano; Myoko Fujimura, mezzo-soprano; Will Hartmann, tenor; and Georg Zeppenfeld, bass. The concert will be part of a benefit, entitled "Hommage to Europe", in support of the Negri-Weizmann-Pasteur International Institute of Pharmacological Research. For concert details, see the Calendar.

ONF TOUR IN BRITAIN
Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France on a five-city tour of Britain, from November 12-17. The tour will include concerts in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Leeds, with programs featuring the works of Beethoven, Bruckner and Mozart. For more information see the Tours section, or view the Calendar for concert details.

CONCERTGEBOUW CONCERTS
Kurt Masur will lead the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in a set of four concerts from October 31 - November 4. The program will feature Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.2 -- the "Little Russian" symphony -- and Schumann: Symphony No.2. The first three concerts will begin at 8:15PM, with the Sunday concert starting at 2:15PM, all at the Concertgebouw. For complete concert details, view the Calendar.

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY CONCERTS
Kurt Masur will return to Davies Hall to lead the San Francisco Symphony in four subscription concerts from October 18-21. The concerts will include two choral works, for which Masur will be joined by the San Francisco Choir. The first half will feature Beethoven's Choral Fantasy, with piano soloist Louis Lortie, who will also perform Liszt: Totentanz on the program. In the second half, Masur will lead a performance of Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky cantata, featuring mezzo-soprano Nancy Maultsby. For complete concert details, view the Calendar.

GREAT CROSS OF THE LEGION OF HONOR WITH STAR AND RIBBON
Kurt Masur has been honored with the Great Cross of the Legion of Honor with Star and Ribbon of Germany, in recognition of his lifetime contributions to the arts and to the people and society of Germany. The award was presented during a luncheon at the Schloss Bellevue in Berlin by the president of Germany, Horst Köhler. Below are president Köhler's remarks upon presenting this honor to Maestro Masur.

Da capo!, könnte man zu Beginn dieser Veranstaltung ausrufen. Ihr Geburtstag, lieber Herr Masur, und auch die damit verbundenen Ehrungen, liegen nun schon einige Zeit zurück. Ich wollte es mir aber nicht nehmen lassen, Sie hier im Schloss Bellevue mit diesem kleinen Fest zu ehren, nicht nur als Musikliebhaber und Bewunderer Ihrer Kunst, sondern dezidiert als Bundespräsident. Es soll nämlich ein Ausdruck des Dankes sein für das, was Sie unserem Land geschenkt haben. Ich bin froh darüber, dass Sie heute mein Gast sind und dass Sie uns allen hier Gelegenheit geben, Ihren Geburtstag mit Ihnen noch einmal nachzufeiern.

Im Feuilleton der Zeitungen und in den Kulturprogrammen in Radio und Fernsehen sind Sie ausführlich und gebührend gewürdigt worden. Ich will nur einige besonders einprägsame Formulierungen zitieren:
- Kurt Masur - der berühmteste deutsche Dirigent,
- Kurt Masur - der Mann ohne Stock,
- Kurt Masur - der Held der Wiedervereinigung,
- Kurt Masur - Politiker wider Willen.

The entire speech continues here.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE TOUR
Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France will undertake a 10-concert tour from September 15-27, featuring performances in Germany, France, Switzerland and Belgium. Joshua Bell, who performs the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the orchestra on opening night in Paris, will repeat his performance of the concerto in several of these concerts. In others, Masur will be joined by pianist David Fray who will perform Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2. Programs will also feature symphonies of Bruckner and Dvorak. For more information on the tour, visit the Tours section. For complete concert details, view the Calendar.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE OPENING NIGHT AND BENEFIT
On September 13, Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France in the season-opening concert at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. The concert and gala will be the latest in a series of events recognizing Maestro Masur's 80th year, and will benefit the Mendelssohn Foundation, of which Masur is the founder and chairman. To honor Masur, both Radio France and the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées are donating the revenue from the concert to the foundation. In the performance, Maestro Masur will be joined by violinist Joshua Bell, who will perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. The program will also feature Mendelssohn: Ruy Blas Overture and Dvorak: Symphony No. 9. For complete concert details, view the Calendar. For more details on Kurt Masur's 80th birthday, see Masur at 80.

BEETHOVEN'S FIRST, SEVENTH AND NINTH AT SANTA CECILIA
Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestra Dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and the Choir of Santa Cecilia in performances of Beethoven's First, Seventh and Ninth Symphonies at the historic Italian music academy. The performance will take place on September 3 and 4 (Ninth Symphony) and September 5 and 6 (First and Seventh Symphonies). Soloists for the Ninth Symphony will be Christiane Libor, soprano; Carolin Masur, mezzo-soprano; Jorma Silvasti, tenor; and Rene Pape, bass-baritone. For complete details, see the Calendar

TANGLEWOOD CONCERTS WITH BSO
Kurt Masur returns to Tanglewood to lead the Boston Symphony Orchestra in two concerts, July 27 and 29. On the 27th, the concert will feature Prokofiev: Classical Symphony, Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 and Beethoven: Symphony No. 1, with Joshua Bell joining Maestro Masur in the concerto. On the 29th, in a Sunday afternoon concert, the program will feature the final three symphonies of Mozart. Masur has been a long-time favorite guest conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and has led them in numerous concerts — both at Tanglewood and Symphony Hall — over the past several decades. For complete details, see the Calendar

HONORARY MUSIC DIRECTOR FOR LIFE OF THE ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE
Kurt Masur will assume the title of Honorary Music Director for Life of the Orchestre National de France, effective with the beginning of the 2008/2009 season, ensuring his close and active involvement with this Orchestra for many more years to come. Maestro Masur has been Music Director of the Orchestre National de France since September 2002. Masur and the ONF have received both critical and popular acclaim for their work together on tours, in recordings and at home in Paris. Italian conductor, Daniele Gatti, will succeed Maestro Masur as Music Director of the ONF.

80th BIRTHDAY CONCERT AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL
July 18, 2007 — Kurt Masur's actual 80th birthday — will be celebrated in a remarkable concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The concert, part of the London Proms, will feature the combined forces of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra National de France performing Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings and Bruckner: Symphony No. 7. For more details and information on Maestro Masur's entire 80th birthday year, visit Masur at 80.

WAR REQUIEM IN ST. DENIS
Kurt Masur will lead two performances of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem in St. Denis, July 4 and 5. Joining Maestro Masur and the Orchestre National de France will be soloists Olga Guriakova, soprano; Paul Groves, tenor; and Hanno Müller-Brachmann, baritone; as well as the Chorus and Children's Chorus of Radio France. Fabien Gabel will conduct the chamber orchestra. Britten's monumental War Requiem has long been a signature work for Maestro Masur, of which he has also released two critically acclaimed recordings with the New York Philharmonic (1998) and the London Philharmonic Orchestra (2006). For complete details, see the Calendar.

HONORARY CITIZENSHIP AND CONCERT IN WROCLAW
On June 24, 2007, at noon, Kurt Masur will be made an honorary citizen of the city of Wroclaw, Poland. Rafael Dutkiewicz, the Mayor of Wroclaw and state president, will be present to bestow this honor on Masur, in a ceremony that will take place at the Old City Hall. The evening prior to the ceremony will feature a concert presented in Maestro Masur's honor, to be held at the Holy Cross Church in Ostrow Tumski, the old part of the city. The concert will feature the Lutoslawski Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, as well as soloists, in works by Bruckner and Brahms. Masur himself will conduct the first work on the program: Beethoven's Egmont Overture. Wroclaw is honoring Masur, who was born in the nearby city of Brieg, on his 80th year.

GEWANDHAUS GALA
On June 16, 2007, Kurt Masur will lead the Gewandhaus Orchestra as part of a special gala to benefit the Mendelssohn Foundation. The concert, hosted by renowned German TV talk-show host Harald Schmidt, will feature a varied, celebratory program, with guests including the Mitteldeutschen Rundfunk Chor (Brahms: Liebeslieder Waltzes) and Anne-Sophie Mutter (Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto). Works by other composers will highlight Masur's conducting career in the United States (Bernstein and Gershwin) and France (Dukas). This concert and gala honors Maestro Masur, and is one of many special events honoring Masur in his 80th year.

CONCERTS AND MASTERCOURSE IN BRAZIL
Kurt Masur will visit Brazil to lead concerts and conducting masterclasses from May 25-June 2, 2007. Masur will lead the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira in a program featuring Wagner: Overture to the Meistersinger, Schubert: Symphony No. 8 "Unfinished" and Dvorak: Symphony No. 9, to be performed in Rio de Janeiro on May 25 and São Paulo on May 30. On June 2, Maestro Masur and the orchestra will be joined by guitarist Yamandu Costa in an open-air concert in Rio de Janeiro. Mr. Costa will perform the Carilho Guitar Concerto, as well as one of his own compositions, on a program that will also feature Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 and Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet. Maestro Masur will also lead a conducting mastercourse from May 26-29 in Rio de Janeiro. For complete details, see the Calendar.

ONF MINI-TOUR TO SPAIN AND ITALY
Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France on a four-concert visit to Spain and Italy, from May 12-16, 2007, with concerts in Madrid, Logronio, Ubeda and Brescia. Anne-Sophie Mutter will join Maestro Masur for one concert, performing the Previn violin concerto in Madrid. For complete details, see the Tours section.

MA, MASUR AND ONF IN PARIS
Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France will be joined by cellist Yo-Yo Ma for one concert on May 10. Ma will perform Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 1 on a program that also includes Schubert: Rosamunde Overture and Schubert: Symphony No. 9. The concert will take place at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées at 8PM. For complete details, see the Calendar.

MAHLER 9 IN PARIS AND TOULOUSE
Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France in performances of Mahler: Symphony No. 9 in Paris and Toulouse. The Paris concert, at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, will take place May 3 at 8:00PM. On May 5 at 8:30, the orchestra and Maestro Masur will present the symphony at the Halle aux Grains in Toulouse. For complete details, see the Calendar.

ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA CONCERTS
Kurt Masur will visit the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to lead six concerts from April 13 - 20, two each in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa. The program for the first five concerts will be Mozart: Symphony No. 36 and Bruckner: Symphony No. 4. The final concert, on April 20 in Jerusalem, substitutes Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 for the Bruckner. Maestro Masur has been a frequent guest conductor at the Israel Philharmonic. Most recently, he took the podium with the IPO this past New Year's Eve, conducting Schoenberg: A Survivor from Warsaw and Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 as part of the orchestra's 70th anniversary gala. Complete details on dates, times and cities and available in the Calendar.

KURT MASUR TO LEAD CONCERT FOR AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
On March 31, Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France in a special concert in support of the human rights organization Amnesty International. For the concert, which will take place at Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, Maestro Masur will be jointed by Brazilian guitarist Yamandu Costa. Mr. Costa will perform Mauricio Carrilho: Suite for Seven Strings and Orchestra. Masur and the ONF will also perform Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet Suite. For more information, view the Calendar.

ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER, ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE IN PARIS
On March 29, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France will present a concert at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. The concert continues the long-standing collaboration between Maestro Masur and Ms. Mutter, one that includes recordings, premieres, and numerous concerts together. For this performance, Ms. Mutter will play Andre Previn's Violin Concerto, a work that was written expressly for her. Maestro Masur and the orchestra will also perform Liszt's Dante Symphony with the Radio France Children's Choir. For more information, view the Calendar.

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC AND CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA CONCERTS
Kurt Masur will return to the podium of the New York Philharmonic for a series of four performances from February 28 - March 3. The program for these concerts will be Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture, Sibelius: Violin Concerto, with Sergey Kachatryan, and Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6. The March 2 performance will take place at the Tilles Center of Long Island University, with the other three performances taking place at Avery Fisher Hall in New York. Maestro Masur was named Music Director Emeritus of the New York Philharmonic in 2002, following his eleven-year tenure as Music Director, and returns each season as a guest conductor.

Following the concerts in New York, Masur will lead three concerts with the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall, from March 8-10. Sergey Kachatryan will again join Maestro Masur, this time in performances of the Bruch Violin Concerto. The program for these concerts will also include Bruckner: Symphony No. 4. For more information, view the Calendar.

MENDELSSOHN FOUNDATION GALA IN NEW YORK
The American Friends of the Mendelssohn Foundation will hold a gala on Wednesday, February 28, in honor of Kurt Masur. The event, held in conjunction with the Maestro's concert that night with the New York Philharmonic, is also the first celebration in the United States during Masur's 80th birthday year.

Kurt Masur is both the Founder and International Chairman of the Mendelssohn Foundation, which has spearheaded the restoration of the Mendelssohn-Haus in Leipzig and is dedicated to preserving and extending the legacy of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. The American Friends of the Mendelssohn Foundation has issued the following mission statement in conjunction with the gala:

"We of the American Friends of the Mendelssohn Foundation, form a part of the International Mendelssohn Foundation. Along with people in Germany, Great Britain, France, Japan and South America, we wish to continue to expand and deepen appreciation of and knowledge about Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Because we do not share geographical proximity, we determined to identify projects that will permit us to participate in the worldwide effort and yet be pertinent to us. For this reason we have and will identify those special projects and programs that we feel will enrich the cultural lives of Americans and others and best reflect the ideals and philosophy of this most cultured and informed citizen of the world.

"We welcome your participation in this long overdue tribute to the genius of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, the man and the musician."

The evening will be chaired by Alexandra Kauka. The honorary chairmen are The Consul General of Germany, Hans-Jürgen Heimsoeth; Ambassador Richard Holbrooke; and Dr. Henry Kissinger. More information on the Mendelssohn Foundation can be found here.

SCHUMANN CYCLE WITH ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE
Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestra National de France in a Schumann cycle over four concerts from February 8 - 16. The concerts, all at 8PM at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, will present the four symphonies in order, accompanied by the major concerti and select other works. On February 8, Symphony No. 1 is paired with the Piano Concerto with Ragna Schirmer as soloist. Symphony No. 2 is presented on the 10th, along with the Konzertstück for Four Horns and Orchestra. On the 15th, Leonidas Kavakos performs the Violin Concerto in the concert that features Symphony No. 3. The final concert on February 16 includes Symphony No. 4, the Cello Concerto with Xavier Phillips, and piano works with David Fray. The concerts will also feature several of Schumann's overtures.

Following the Paris concerts, the Orchestra National de France will travel to Athens to perform the cycle — over three concerts — at the Megaron. These concerts will also feature all four symphonies, the violin and piano concertos, the Konzertstück and two overtures. From there, Maestro Masur and the ONF will travel to Amsterdam for a single concert at the Concertgebouw, the program for which will be the same as the February 8 concert, with Nelson Freire performing the Piano Concerto. For more information, view the Calendar.

LEIPZIG CONDUCTING MASTERCOURSE
Kurt Masur will return to Leipzig from January 22-26 to lead a conducting mastercourse. The course brings together Maestro Masur's long-standing close relationship with the city of Leipzig — where he was Kapellmeister of the Gewandhaus Orchestra from 1970 to 1997 — with his commitment to education and to developing the next generations of musicians. The mastercourse will feature five days at the Leipzig Conservatory working with the orchestra, and will culminate with a concert the evening of the 26th. For more information, view the Education section.

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY CONCERTS
Kurt Masur will visit the San Francisco Symphony from January 10-14 for a set of five concerts at Davies Hall. The program will begin with Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3 — the "Scottish Symphony." After intermission, Maestro Masur will reunite again with Sarah Chang who will perform Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1. The concert will close with Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche by Richard Strauss. For more information, view the Calendar.

NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH THE IPO
Kurt Masur visit the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to conduct its New Year's Eve concert. Even more importantly, the concert will be a gala celebration of the IPO's 70th anniversary. The program will feature Arnold Schoenberg's "A Survivor from Warsaw" (op. 46) — a short cantata written in 1947 that remembers and reflects upon events from the Holocaust. This will be followed by Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, a work that Maestro Masur has shared with audiences and performers around the world in celebration of the new year. For more information, view the Calendar.

AMERIKANER EHREN DIRIGENT KURT MASUR (Die Welt 12 Dec 2006)
Die Amerikanishe Handelskammer hat gestern Abend zur Verleihung des Preises "AmCham Transatlantic Partnership Award" an den Chefdirigenten des London Philharmonic Orchestra, Kurt Masur, ins Museum für Kommunikation geladen. Der Ex-Kapellmeister des Leipziger Gewandhausorchesters, der schon zu DDR-Zeiten in den USA gefeierte Konzerte gab, erhielt die Auszeichnung für seine "Verdienste um die Demokratie und das kulturelle Leben in der ganzen Welt und um die positive Gestaltung enger kultureller Beziehungen zwischen Deutschland und den USA". Laudator war der ehemalige Botschafter der Vereinigten Staaten und Kuratoruimsvorsitzenden der American Academy, Richard Holbrooke. Ebenfalls Träger der seit 1987 vergebenen Auszeichnung ist Ex-Innenminister Otto Schily. [For additional details, visit www.amcham.de/amcham-award.html]

MENDELSSOHN GALA
Kurt Masur will lead an all-Mendelssohn gala performance in Tokyo on December 10 at the Tokyo International Forum. The concert will feature the Ruy Blas Overture, the Violin Concerto with young Japanese violinist Sayaka Shoji, and the "Italian" Symphony with the Geddai University Orchestra. Maestro Masur and Mendelssohn have been closely associated for decades as key figures in the musical history of Leipzig (having both been Kapellmeister of the legendary Gewandhaus Orchestra), though the maestro's interpretations of Mendelssohn's works, and by Masur's founding of the International Mendelssohn Foundation. For details on the concert, view the Calendar.

LONDON PHILHARMONIC NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
Kurt Masur will lead the London Philharmonic in four concerts on tour in the United States and Canada. The concerts will take place from November 26-29 in Toronto, New York and Washington DC. Maestro Masur will be joined by soloists Sarah Chang (26th, 28th and 29th) and Elisabeth Leonskaja (27th). The programs will include works by Brahms, Beethoven, Liszt, Prokofiev, and Sibelius. For more information, see the Tours section, or view the Calendar.

GEWANDHAUS ORCHESTRA CONCERTS
Kurt Masur will return to Leipzig to conduct two concerts with the Gewandhaus Orchestra on November 16 and 17. Masur led the orchestra as its Kapellmeister from 1970 until 1996. For these concerts, Maestro Masur will be joined by violinist Sarah Chang, who will perform the Brahms Violin Concerto. Also on the program will be Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6. For complete details, see the Calendar.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE RECORDINGS
Two new recordings have been released of Kurt Masur conducting the Orchestre National de France. Both discs are on the Naïve label and feature works of Dmitri Shostakovich. The first of the two recordings is of Symphony No. 7 ("Leningrad"), captured in live performance at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. The second features the two violin concertos performed by young Armenian violinist Sergey Khachatryan. For more details, visit the Discography section.

BONN CONDUCTING MASTERCOURSE
From Sunday, October 29 to Wednesday, November 1, Kurt Masur will lead a conducting mastercourse in Bonn, Germany. As part of his ongoing commitment to educating future generations of musicians, Maestro Masur will work with six young conductors from Europe and the United States. The four-day course takes place in Bonn, the birthplace of Beethoven, and will focus on his works. For further details, visit the Education section.

LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA EUROPEAN TOUR
Kurt Masur will lead the London Philharmonic on a tour of Europe from October 3rd until the 26th. The tour will visit numerous cities in Germany, as well as Amsterdam, Brussels, and Budepest. The orchestra will also spend a week at home in London in the middle of the month, highlighted by a performance of Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem in St. Paul's Cathedral. For many of the concerts, Maestro Masur will be joined by Helen Huang in performance of the Schumann Piano Concerto. Works by Mendelssohn and Schostakovich will also be performed during the tour. For further details, visit the Tours section.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE OPENING CONCERTS
Kurt Masur will open the season of the Orchestra National de France with two concerts in Paris, September 23 and 28. On the 23rd, the orchestra will perform at Salle Olivier Messiaen, where Maestro Masur will conduct Beethoven: Symphony No. 5. For this concert, Masur will share the podium with young Greek conductor Stamatia Karampini. Ms. Karampini will lead the orchesta for the first half of the program with Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5. On the 28th, Maesto Masur will conduct Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony and Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 ("Babi Yar") at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. Bass Sergei Leiferkus will again join Masur in the performance of the monumental work by Shostakovich. The two have frequently joined forces in its performance throughout the world, as well as in an acclaimed recording with the New York Philharmonic in 1994. For further details, view the Calendar.

EUROPEAN FESTIVALS TOUR
From August 21 through September 4, Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestra National de France in a late-summer tour that visits many of the leading festivals of Europe. The tour will include visits to Lucerne, Santander, San Sebastian, the London Proms, Rheingau, Lübeck, Ludwigsburg, and Montreux. For further details, visit the Tours section.

WROCLAW CONDUCTING MASTERCOURSE
Kurt Masur will return to Wroclaw July 11-15 to lead the "Second International Conducting Master Classes". These classes continue Maestro Masur's commitment to mentoring future generations of conductors and players. In 2004, he led the "First International Conducting Master Classes" in Wroclaw, and he regularly holds mastercourses and conducts student orchestras around the world. For complete details, view the Education section.

CLOSING WEEKS OF ONF SEASON
Kurt Masur returns to Paris after his highly-acclaimed visit to the National Symphony Orchestra, to lead the Orchestre National de France in the final weeks of the 2005-2006 concert season. These seven concerts, running from June 15 to July 4, feature powerful programs and a series of notable soloists.

On June 15, in a concert that will take place in St. Denis, the violinist Sergei Khachatryan joins Masur in the Shostakovich violin concerto, in a program that also features Dvorak: Symphony No. 9. The next day in Paris, Maestro Masur is joined by pianist Leon Fleisher, in a program that includes two works by Paul Hindemith and Richard Strauss's Don Quixote.

The next week, Masur leads the ONF in performance at the Louvre in the Fête de la Musique on June 21, and the following day at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in a program featuring works of Britten, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn.

The final weeks of the season are highlighted by the performances of June 29 and July 1, in which Maestro Masur will present selections from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde in concert form. Maestro Masur is joined by Deborah Voigt (Isolde), Endrik Wottrich (Tristan), Georg Zeppenfeld (King Marke) and Eike Wilm Shulte (Melot). The performances will include the Act 1 Prelude, the complete Act 2, and the Prelude and Liebestod from Act III.

On July 4, the season wraps up with Mahler: Symphony No. 1 and Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with baritone Roman Trekel.

For details on all of these concerts view the Calendar.

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERTS
On June 1-3, Kurt Masur will lead the National Symphony Orchestra in three performances of an all-Beethoven program. These performances mark the first time that Masur — a frequent guest of the leading orchestras of the United States — appears on the podium of the resident orchestra of the Kennedy Center in the nation's capital. The program will feature Beethoven's Symphonies No. 1 and No. 7, as well as Leonore Overture No. 3. For more details, view the Calendar.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE CONCERTS
In the coming weeks, Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France in two varied programs at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. On Wednesday, May 18, pianist Nelson Freire joins Maestro Masur in the Grieg Piano Concerto. The second half of the program will feature Shostakovich's momentous Symphony No. 7 ("Leningrad"). On May 25, Masur will be joined by several featured solo players from the ONF. Included on the program will be Matthus: Concerto for Trumpet and Trombone, with Marc Bauer and Joel Vaisse, and Bechara El-Khoury: Violin Concerto, with Sarah Nemtanu. Also on the program will be works by Prokofiev and Kodaly. For more details, view the Calendar.

BABI YAR IN AMSTERDAM
Kurt Masur will take the podium of the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam to lead four performances of Shostakovich Symphony No. 13 ("Babi Yar"). The concerts will take place May 10, 11 and 12 at 8:15 PM and May 14 at 2:15 PM. Joining Maestro Masur will be renowned Russian Bass Sergei Leiferkus and the Prague Radio Choir. Masur and Leiferkus have joined together to perform this powerful work many times through the years, and have recorded it with the New York Philharmonic. For more details, view the Calendar.

MAESTRO MASUR RETURNS TO PODIUM
Maestro Kurt Masur returned to the podium last Saturday, April 8, 2006 in an all-Mendelssohn program with the Orchestra of the Teatro La Fenice at the newly rebuilt Teatro in Venice. The spirit of Mendelssohn was alive during this touching performance, and both Orchestra and Maestro received standing ovations from the sold-out audience. This was Maestro Masur's first appearance after a five-week break due to health problems.

This week Maestro Masur continues to pay tribute to Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy as he embarks on a four city tour of Italy: Bologna, Rome, Parma and Modena with the Toscanini Orchestra and featured soloist, violinist Sarah Nemtanu.

MISSA SOLEMNIS
On May 4 and 5, Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestra National de France in Beethoven's Missa Solemnis at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. Maestro Masur will be joined by soloists Anne Schwanewilms, soprano; Elina Garanca, mezzo-soprano; Pavol Breslik, tenor; and Hanno Mueller-Brachmann, bass-baritone. Also featured in Beethoven's monumental work will be the Radio France Choir and the Children's Choir of Radio France. For more details, view the Calendar.

LONDON PHILHARMONIC TOUR
Kurt Masur will lead the London Philharmonic on a month-long tour that will feature a week in Britain and three weeks in the United States. After concerts in Edinburgh, Birmingham and Dublin, the orchestra will travel to the US for concerts throughout California (including Los Angeles and San Francisco) and the Northeast (including New York, Boston, and Washington, DC). For more details, see the Tours section or the concert Calendar.

CONCERTS WITH ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE
Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France in concerts in mid-February, featuring the works of Shostakovich, Rihm and Beethoven. On February 16, Maestro Masur will conduct Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 and Wolfgang Rihm's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra. In the latter work he will be joined by Michel Portal, clarinet and Gerard Causse, viola. On February 22 and 23, Masur and the ONF will be joined by the Beaux Arts Trio in performances of Beethoven's Triple Concerto. These concerts will also feature Symphony No. 7 of Beethoven. All concerts will take place at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. For more details, see the Calendar.

MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC MASTERCOURSE
Kurt Masur will visit the Manhattan School of Music to lead a conducting mastercourse from January 23-28. The culminating concert with Maestro Masur and the student conductors will take place on January 27, and will feature works of Beethoven, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky. Kurt Masur developed a close relationship with the Manhattan School of Music during his tenure as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic. He has continued to maintain this relationship, returning periodically for mastercourses such as this. For details of the culminating concert, visit the Mahnattan School of Music website.

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC CONCERTS
Kurt Masur will lead the New York Philharmonic in concerts on January 19th, 20th, and 21st, joined by pianist Louis Lortie. The program for these concerts is Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, Liszt: The Ruins of Athens, Liszt: Totentanz and Prokofiev: Scythian Suite. Maestro Masur was Music Director of the New York Philharmonic from 1991 until 2002, when he was named Music Director Emeritus. He continues to return to conduct the orchestra each season in highly-anticipated concerts. For more details, view the Calendar or newyorkphilharmonic.org.

BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERTS
Kurt Masur returns to Symphony Hall to lead the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a set of four concerts, January 5th, 6th, 7th, and 10th. Maestro Masur, a favorite of the BSO both in Boston and at Tanglewood, will lead two works with which he is closely associated: Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 and Tan Dun: Water Concerto for Water Percussion and Orchestra. The concerto was premiered by Masur and soloist Christopher Lamb during the Maestro's tenure at the New York Philharmonic. Since then, the two have teamed to perform the work around the world. Calendar

LA FENICE NEW YEAR'S CONCERTS
Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestra and Chorus of La Fenice in three concerts to celebrate the New Year. The concerts, held December 30th, 31st, and January 1st in Venice's historic opera house, will feature soloists Fiorenza Cedolins, soprano; Joseph Calleja, tenor; and Roberto Scandiuzzi, bass. The first half of the program will feature the Romeo and Juliet Suite by Prokofiev. The second half will feature opera selections by Bellini, Donizetti, Mozart, Puccini, and Verdi. Among the works performed will be the overture to Le Nozze di Figaro, the arias "Vissi d'arte" from Tosca and "Che gelida manina" from La Boheme, and the legendary chorus "Va Pensiero" from Il Nabucco. The concert of January 1 will be broadcast live on Italian television RAI. Calendar

GOLD MEDAL OF TOULOUSE
On November 18, 2006, Kurt Masur was honored at a reception at city hall in Toulouse. The mayor bestowed upon Maestro Masur the gold medal of the city for his continuing presence with the Orchestre National de France. The ONF has performed at the Halle aux Grains in Toulouse at least once each year during Maestro Masur's tenure with the orchestra.

DRESDEN PHILHARMONIC AT THE FRAUENKIRCHE
On November 11th and 12th, Kurt Masur will conduct the Dresden Philharmonic at the Frauenkirche, as part of the events celebrating the reopening of the historic church. The program will feature Te Deum, by Siegfried Matthus, a work written specifically for this event. The Frauenkirche, destroyed during World War II, stood as a pile of rubble for decades — a symbol of the horrors of war. International cooperation and donations have led to the reconstruction of this great building, culminating with its rededication in late 2005. Maestro Masur will be joined by soloists Hyunju Park, soprano; Agnieska Piass, soprano; Ulrike Mayer, mezzo-soprano; Carolin Masur, alto; Pavol Breslik, tenor; Friedemann Röhlig, bass; as well as the Berlin Radio Choir and Dresden Philharmonic Children's Choir. Calendar

TCHAIKOVSKY CYCLE WITH ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE
Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France will perform a series of concerts featuring the works of Tchaikovsky. In November, four concerts will be presented in Paris and one in Toulouse. In early December, Maestro Masur and the orchestra will travel to Luxembourg for two concerts there. During the course of these seven concerts, they will perform Symphonies 2-6, Piano Concerts No. 1 and No. 3 (with Nikolai Lugansky), the Violin Concerto (Sarah Chang), and Rococo Variations (Alexander Knaziev, cello). Also on various programs will be Capriccio Italien, Serenade for Stings, Romeo and Juliet, and the 1812 Overture. For complete details of each concert, view the calendar.

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY CONCERTS
Kurt Masur returns to the podium of the San Francisco symphony for a set of three subscription concerts, October 27-29. The program will feature Offertorium by Sofia Gubaidulina with violinist Gidon Kremer. Maestro Masur has been a champion of Ms. Gubaidulina's works; Offertorium was written for Kremer. The second half of the program will feature Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5. Calendar

LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA IN KOREA
Kurt Masur and the London Philharmonic Orchestra will perform three concerts in Korea, two in Seoul and one in Bundang. The concerts, October 18-20, will feature Beethoven: Prometheus Overture, Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1 (played by Sarah Chang), and Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4. Calendar

LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA IN BRITAIN WITH ALL RISE
Kurt Masur will bring performances of All Rise to five British cities between September 30 and October 5. The combined forces of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and the London Adventist Chorale will present the work by Wynton Marsalis, leader of the Jazz Orchestra. All Rise was premiered in 1999 by Maestro Masur with the New York Philharmonic, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and the Morgan State University Choir. Masur has continued to champion the work in the years that have followed. This tour will bring performances to Birmingham, Cardiff, London, Manchester, and Glasgow. Calendar

ORCHESTRA NATIONAL DE FRANCE IN EUROPE
In the second half of September, Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France on a European tour. The tour, which runs from September 17-26, will visit Bonn, Munich, Bucharest, Rimini, Verona, Vienna, Frankfurt, and Nürnberg. Maestro Masur will feature works of French composers in most of the concerts, including Franck, Debussy, and Ravel. In Bucharest, Rimini, and Vienna, long-time Masur collaborator Elisabeth Leonskaja will join him for performances of Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2. Also featured on this tour will be works by Enescu and Prokofiev. Calendar

LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA IN GERMANY, ITALY AND SWITZERLAND
Kurt Masur and the London Philharmonic Orchestra will visit Germany, Italy, and Switzerland during a one-week tour at the beginning of September. The tour begins August 31 with a concert in Berlin, and ends on September 8 in Montreux. Among the tour's highlights will be two concerts featuring Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, in Berlin and then Lucerne on September 6. For the two concerts in Italy—September 4 in Torino and September 5 in Locarno—Maestro Masur will be joined by Sergey Khachatryan in performances of Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1. The same work will be performed in Lucerne on September 7 by Christian Tetzlaff. Also featured in various concerts will be works by Dvorak, Glinka, Gubaidulina, and Tchaikovsky. For more information, view the Calendar.

LONDON PROMS
On August 20th, Kurt Masur will lead the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a London Proms concert at Royal Albert Hall. The concert will include Gubaidulina's The Light of the End and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Joining Maestro Masur in the Beethoven will be soloists Christine Goerke, soprano; Jean Rigby, mezzo-soprano; Thomas Studebaker, tenor; and Hanno Müller-Brachmann, bass. The program will be repeated twice on tour, August 31st in Berlin and September 6 in Lucern, for which concerts the soloists will be Melanie Diener, soprano; Carolin Masur, mezzo-soprano; Mr. Studebaker and Mr. Müller-Brachmann. For more information, view the Calendar.

BEETHOVEN'S NINTH SYMPHONY AT ORANGE
On August 6, Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestra National de France in a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony as part of the Chorégies d'Orange festival in Orange, France. The festival is the oldest of its kind in France, and the concert will take place at the magnificent Roman Amphitheater. For the concert, which closes this year's festival, Maestro Masur and the Orchestra will be joined by the Choir and Children's Choirs of Radio France, and by soloists Melanie Diener, soprano; Marie Nicole Le Mieux, mezzo-soprano; Jorma Silvasti, tenor; and Franz-Josef Selig, bass. For more information, view the Calendar.

BRAZIL MASTERCOURSE
During the last week of July, Maestro Masur will lead a conducting mastercourse in Campos do Jordão, Brazil, woriking with student conductors and the Campos do Jordão Academic Orchestra. The week will culminate with a concert, led by the students, on July 30 in Campos do Jordão, followed by a concert in São Paulo the next day, led by Maestro Masur. The repertoire for the mastercourse will be Mahler: Symphony No. 1, and Gershwin: Porgy and Bess Suite. For more information, view the Calendar.

TEACHING AND CONDUCTING AT TANGLEWOOD
From June 28-July 10, Kurt Masur will spend two weeks in residence at Tanglewood, continuing his close relationship with both the Tanglewood Music Center and its nurturing of young talent, and with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. During his time at Tanglewood, Maestro Masur will coach conducting fellows as they rehearse the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, and will also conduct the orchstera himself. On Sunday, July 3, the TMCO will present a concert with the conducting fellows leading Prokofiev: Classical Symphony, and Dutilleux: The Shadows of Time, and with Masur leading Beethoven: Symphony No. 7.

On July 9 and 10, Masur will lead the Boston Symphony Orchestra in two concerts at the famous Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood. On Friday, July 9, the concert will feature Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto, with Joshua Bell, and Bruckner: Symphony No. 4. Featured in the concert of Saturday, July 10, will be Beethoven: Overture to Fidelio, Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2, with Emanuel Ax, and Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings.

For more information, view the Calendar or visit the Tanglewood website.

FINAL WEEK OF ONF SEASON
During the final week of the Orchestre National de France concert season, Kurt Masur will lead the orchestra in several notable concerts. On Sunday, June 19th, a gala concert will take place at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées to benefit Queen Sylvia of Sweden's World Children's Foundation. On June 21st Maestro Masur and the ONF will make their annual appearence at the Concert Fete de la Musique Louvre. Featured in both programs will be Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherazade. On Thursday June 23rd, soprano Deborah Voigt will join Kurt Masur and the ONF in an all-Strauss program at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. Ms. Voigt will perform Four Last Songs and the final scene from Salome. Also on the program are Don Juan and Death and Transfiguration. On June 24th the orchestra will perform in St. Denis, pairing the Four Last Songs with Bruckner's Symphony No. 9. For more information on all of these concerts, see the Calendar.

MADRID CONCERTS
Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France will perform two concerts in Madrid on May 23 and 24. The concert of the 23rd will feature Mozart: Symphony No. 40 and Bruckner: Symphony No. 7. On the 24th, Maestro Masur and the ONF, joined by piano soloist Vahan Mardirossian will perform Franck: Symphonic Variations, Franck: Symphony, and Shostakovich: Symphony No. 1. Both concerts begin at 7:30PM at the Auditorio Nacional. For concert details, see the Calendar.

FIRST RECORDING WITH LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
On May 2, Kurt Masur and the London Philharmonic Orchestra released their first recording together. The recording, which includes live performances of the First and Firth Symphonies of Shostakovich, is published on the LPO's own label. Continued...

KURT MASUR IN THE UNITED STATES
Kurt Masur will spend the month of April in the United States, conducting the orchestras of San Francisco and Boston, and leading a week-long conducting mastercourse in New York.

Maestro Masur will lead two weeks of subscription concerts with the San Francisco Symphony starting March 30th. The first program will feature Mozart: Symphony No. 36 and Bruckner: Symphony No. 9, and will be performed on March 30 and 31 and April 1 and 2. The second program will feature Brahms: Symphony No. 2 and Schnittke: Cello Concerto, with Natalia Gutman as soloist. This program will be performed on April 6, 7, 8 and 9. All concerts will be at Davies Hall, with the exception of April 7, which will be at the Flint Center in Cupertino.

On April 14, 15, 16 and 19, Kurt Masur will conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1 and Bruckner: Symphony No. 4. The soloist for these concerts will be Vadim Repin. For more information on these and all of Maestro Masur's concert activities, please visit the Calendar.

During the last week of April, Kurt Masur will return to the Manhattan School of Music in New York to lead a week-long conducting mastercourse. For more information on this, and all of Maestro Masur's educational activities, please visit the Education section.

CONDUCTING MASTERCOURSES AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
A number of educational activites are featured in Kurt Masur's schedule for the Spring and Summer of 2005:
  • In late April, Maestro Masur will lead a week-long conducting mastercourse at the Manhattan School of Music in New York.
  • From June 28-July 10, the Maestro will be at Tanglewood, coaching young conductors and working with the student orchestra of the Tanglewood Music Center, as well as conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
  • In late July, Masur will lead a week-long conducting mastercourse in Brazil.

For more information on these and other educational activities, please visit the Education section.

ST. MATTHEW PASSION
Kurt Masur will lead two performances of Bach's St. Matthew Passion in Paris, March 24th and 26th. Maestro Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France, the Radio France Choir and the Radio France Children's Choir at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. Soloists in these performances will include Ruth Ziesak, soprano; Anna Larsson, mezzo-soprano; Kurt Streit, tenor; Christoph Genz, tenor (Evangelist); Oliver Widmer, baritone; and Franz Hawlata, bass. For concert details, see the Calendar.

CONCERTS IN MEMORY OF SVIATOSLAV RICHTER
Kurt Masur will lead two concerts in Moscow in memory of Sviatoslav Richter. The concerts will take place on March 16th and 17 in the Bolshoi Hall of the Moscow State Conservatory, with Maestro Masur leading the Tchaikovsky Symphonic Orchestra and joined by soloists Natalia Gutman, cello, and Elisabeth Leonskaja, piano. On the 16th, the program will feature the Dvorak Cello Concerto and Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6. The concert on the 17th will feature Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 and Shostakovich: Symphony No. 1. For concert details, see the Calendar.

FRENCH EDITION OF BIOGRAPHY
The biography of Maestro Kurt Masur has been released in a French translation. The new edition was released in December 2004 by publisher Actes Sud, in cooperation with Radio France. The original German edition, written by Johannes Forner, was published in 2002. The French edition is available from Amazon.fr.

UNITED STATES TOUR
Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France will visit the United States from February 24-March 7, 2005, bringing with them a program of music by French composers. The orchestra will split its time between the Northeast (including visits to Carnegie Hall in New York and Boston's Symphony Hall) and the Southeast, with concerts presented in Atlanta and Florida. For further details, visit the Tours section, or view the Calendar.

A press release for the tour is available, in Adobe PDF format, by clicking here. [Note, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. Document will appear in a new window.]

BEETHOVEN SYMPHONY CYLCE IN ATHENS
Kurt Masur will lead the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the complete symphonies of Beethoven at the Megaron in Athens, Greece. The concerts will be presented on four consecutive days, January 12-15. For the Ninth Symphony, solists will be Christine Brewer, Soprano; Carolin Masur, Mezzo-soprano; Thomas Studebaker, Tenor; Alastair Miles, Bass. For concert details, see the Calendar.

NEW YEAR'S WITH THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
Kurt Masur with lead the New York Philharmonic in a gala performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on New Year's Eve. An annual tradition during Maestro Masur's tenure as Music Director of the Philharmonic, this year's sold-out concert will feature Soprano Adrianne Pieczonka, Mezzo-Soprano Marietta Simpson, Tenor Thomas Studebaker, Bass-Baritone Albert Dohmen and the New York Choral Artists.

Kurt Masur will also conduct a week of subscription concerts during the last week of December. The concerts, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, December 28-30, will feature Rachmaninoff: The Isle of the Dead, Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 (with soloist Olli Mustonen) and Musorgsky/Gorchakov: Pictures at an Exhibition.

LA SCALA REOPENING
Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France will perform as part of the festivities that will mark the reopening of the famed La Scala opera house in Milan. La Scala is reopening after an extensive 30-month renovation, and Maestro Masur and the ONF – along with the Belrin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic – have been invited to participate in the celebration. The Orchestre National de France will perform Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 and the Sibelius Violin Concerto with Sergey Khatchatryan as soloist, on December 11 at 8PM. This program was recently performed in Paris to great acclaim. The official reopening of the hall will take place on December 7, with Riccardo Muti leading a performance of Antonio Salieri's opera "Europa Riconosciuta," the same opera that originally opened the hall in 1778.

MASUR EXTENDS WITH ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE THROUGH 2008
Kurt Masur has extended his stay as music director of the Orchestre National de France for an additional three years, the orchestra announced today. The 77-year-old conductor, who initially signed on in 2002, will now keep the post through the end of the 2008 season... MORE...

GALA CONCERT AND DINNER TO BENEFIT THE MENDELSSOHN FOUNDATION LEIPZIG
On Monday, December 6th, Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre du Conservatoire National Superieur de Paris in concert at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. The gala concert and dinner that will follow will benefit the Mendelssohn Foundation Leipzig of which Maestro Masur is the founder and chairman. The all-Mendelssohn program for the concert will feature the Ruy Blas Ouverture, Concerto for two Pianos and Orchestra in E Major with Hélène Mercier and Louis Lortie, and Symphony No. 4.

The artists, orchestra, concert hall, and Bristol Hotel (site of the dinner), have all graciously agreed to donate their services. All proceeds from the evening will benefit the Mendelssohn Foundation. Those interested in making a donation to the foundation should contact Stefana Zorzor Atlas. For more information on the Mendelssohn Foundation and the Mendelssohn House Leipzig, click here, or visit the foundation web site. For ticket infomation, click here.

CONCERTS WITH GEWANDHAUS ORCHESTRA
Kurt Masur will return to Leipzig to lead a pair of concerts with the renowned Gewandhaus Orchestra. These concerts, on November 18 and 19, will feature Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 and Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5. Maestro Masur served as the Gewandhaus Kapellmeister from 1970 to 1996, leading a total of nearly 2000 concerts with the orchestra. Masur's return visits to Leipzig, where he is a living legend, are always highly anticipated. For concert details, see the Calendar.

BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTOS
Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France will be joined by pianist Evgeny Kissin for two concerts that will feature the five piano concertos by Beethoven. On October 28, Mr. Kissin will perform concertos 1-3. The following concert, October 30, will feature concertos 4-5, as well as Leonore Overture No. 3. Both concerts will take place at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. Calendar

LONDON PHILHARMONIC TOUR OF GERMANY
On October 3, the London Philharmonic will begin an 11-day, 10-city tour of Germany, under the baton of Kurt Masur. The programs will feature symphonies of Brahms, Dvorak, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky. For more information, see the Tours section.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE, HELEN HUANG, AND SHOSTAKOVICH
On Thursday, September 23, at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, Helen Huang will join Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France in concert. Ms. Huang—who has performed frequently with Masur since age 9, when the maestro invited her to appear with the New York Philharmonic—will present the Second Piano Concerto of Shostakovich. The program with also include Shostakovich: Symphony No. 1, and Mozart: Symphony No. 29. For concert deails, see the Calendar.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE SEASON OPENING
Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France in their season-opening concert on September 16 at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. The program will feature Henri Dutilleux's Correspondances for orchestra and voice, with soprano Barbara Hannigan, and Sheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov. For concert deails, see the Calendar.

LONDON PROMS
Kurt Masur will lead the London Philharmonic Orchestra in performance at the London Proms at Royal Albert Hall on July 28. The concert will feature Schubert's Symphony No. 8 and Janacek's Ukvalske Piske and Glagolitic Mass. Joining Maestro Masur will be soloists Zdena Kloubova, soprano; Karen Cargill, mezzo-soprano; Pavol Breslik, tenor; Gustav Belacek, bass; and the Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno.

BEETHOVEN-HAUS
Kurt Masur was named chairman of Beethoven-Haus Bonn on July 5. The Beethoven-Haus, located at the composer's birthplace, includes a museum, concert hall, research facilities, and the largest private Beethoven collection in the world. More details

TEACHING AND CONDUCTING AT TANGLEWOOD
Kurt Masur will be at Tanglewood from July 6-16, working with conducting fellows and the student orchestra. Maestro Masur will also lead two concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, including opening night. For more details, visit the Educational section. For concert deails, see the Calendar.

FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONDUCTING MASTER CLASSES IN WROCLAW, POLAND
Maestro Masur will lead the "First International Conducting Master Classes" in Wrocław, Poland, Wednesday, June 23rd through Sunday, June 27th. For details, visit the Educational section.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE IN ITALY
Kurt Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France in a four-concert, three-city tour of Italy from June 6-9. The concerts—in Naples, Torino, and Lugano—will feature the works of Dukas, Franck, and Rimsky-Korsakov. More

BRAHMS REQUIEM IN ST. DENIS
Kurt Masur will conduct the Orchestre National de France in two performances of Brahms's Ein Deutsches Requiem at the Basilique in St. Denis, France, on June 2nd and 3rd. Joining them for these performances will be soprano Christine Schäfer, bass-baritone Albert Dohmen, and the Choir of Radio France.

CONCERTS IN DRESDEN
Kurt Masur will conduct the Dresden Philharmonic on May 22 and 23 at the Kulturpalast. The program for these concerts will be Matthus: Der Wald; Berg: Violin Concerto; and Dvorak: Symphony No. 9. Sarah Chang will be the soloist. The following week, on May 29, the Orchestre National de France will join Maestro Masur at the Semper Oper in Dresden, where he will lead them in performances of Franck's Psyché and Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherazade.

CONDUCTING MASTERCOURSES AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

A number of educational activites are featured in Kurt Masur's schedule for the Spring and Summer of 2004:
  • In early March, Maestro Masur led a week-long conducting mastercourse at the Manhattan School of Music in New York.
  • On March 21st, he led a performance of Bach's St. John Passion with the Orchestra of the Conservatory of Paris. This program was repeated the next day in a special concert in memory of the victims of the Madrid train bombings.
  • The last week of April featured a conducting mastercourse at the Tokyo University for Arts and Music.
  • At the end of June, Maestro Masur will lead the "First International Conducting Master Classes" in Wrocław, Poland.
  • From July 6-16, the Maestro will be at Tanglewood, coaching young conductors and working with the student orchestra of the Tanglewood Music Center.
  • In early September, he will lead a conducting mastercourse in Detmold, Germany.
For more information on these and other educational activities, please visit the Education section.

LECTURE AND READING AT DRESDNER MUSIKFESTSPIELE
As part of the Dresdner Musikfestspiele, there will be a lecture on May 21 at 7:30 PM in the Blockhaus in Dresden, at which time Kurt Masur will be interviewed by Dieter Haertwig about his life. Actor Friedhelm Eberle will also read selections from Maestro Masur's biography Zeiten und Klänge. For more information, visit the web site of the Musikestspiele.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE – FIRST RECORDING WITH KURT MASUR
The Orchestre National de France has announced the release of its first recording under the music directorship of Maestro Kurt Masur. More

MISSA SOLEMNIS IN LONDON
Kurt Masur will lead the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis on May 16 at 7:30 PM in the Royal Festival Hall. They will be joined by soloists Janice Watson, Anna Larsson, Thomas Studebaker, and Franz Josef Selig, as well as the London Philharmonic Choir.

TOKYO CONDUCTING MASTERCOURSE
Kurt Masur will lead a conducting mastercourse at the Tokyo University for Arts and Music (TUFAM), from April 27-30. The mastercourse will culminate in a concert on May 1 in the Sogakudo center. The program for both the mastercourse and concert will be Shostakovich: Symphony No. 1 and Dvorak: Symphony No. 8.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE – JAPAN TOUR
Maestro Masur will lead the Orchestre National de France on a tour that will visit many of Japan's leading concert venues. The eight-concert tour will visit Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya, and Sapporo. The various programs will feature works of Brahms (several symphonies, plus Piano Concerto No. 2 with soloist Nicolai Angelich), Dukas (The Sorcerer's Apprentice), Mussorgsky/Gorchakov (Pictures at an Exhibition), and Khachaturian (Violin Concerto with soloist Sergey Khachatryan).

Following the tour, Maestro Masur will lead a conducting mastercourse at the Tokyo University for Arts and Music. For further information, visit the Education section.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE – BRAHMS SYMPHONY CYCLE
Kurt Masur will conduct the Orchestra National de France in the four symphonies of Brahms over four concerts, March 25 and 26 and April 1 and 2, at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris. In addition, violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter will join Maestro Masur for the Brahms Violin Concerto on the 25th, and the Double Concerto on the 26th, along with cellist Daniel Müller-Schott. Garrick Ohlsson will present Brahms' First Piano Concerto on April 1st, and Second on the 2nd. The orchestra will also present the four symphonies alone, over two programs, in Toulouse on the 9th and 10th of April.

PERFORMANCE OF ST. JOHN PASSION ON MARCH 22ND IN PARIS DEDICATED TO MADRID VICTIMS
In view of the recent terrorist attacks in Madrid, Spain, Kurt Masur and the Orchestra of the Conservatory of Paris, in collaboration with the Cité de la Musique and Radio France have decided to add a performance of the St. John Passion on Monday, March 22nd at 8:00 PM at the Salle Olivier Messiaen, in memory of those who lost their lives in these attacks. The originally scheduled performance of March 21st will take place as planned.

NEW YORK CONDUCTING MASTERCOURSE
Maestro Masur will return to the Manhattan School of Music to lead a week-long conducting mastercourse, Monday, March 8th through Friday, March 12th. For more details, visit the Education section.

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
In January, Kurt Masur returns to the New York Philharmonic for three weeks of concerts, joined by soloists including Sarah Chang, Glenn Dicterow, Lynn Harrel and André Previn. On January 22nd, violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter will present the US premiere of Henri Dutilleux's "Sur le même accord". To read more about these concerts at the New York Philharmonic web site, click here.

BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – "ALL RISE".
Beethoven and Shostakovich will be on the program for concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on November 28th and 29th, and December 2nd.

Those concerts will be followed on December 3rd, 4th, and 6th with performances of Wynton Marsalis's "All Rise," which was premiered by Maestro Masur with the New York Philharmonic and Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in 1999. The BSO will be joined by Mr. Marsalis, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
From November 20-22 Kurt Masur will lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in three concerts featuring the music of Glinka, Shostakovich, and Beethoven.

HONORARY MEMBERSHIP IN BEETHOVEN HAUS FOUNDATION IN BONN
In a ceremony that took place on September 14, 2003 at the Beethoven Haus in Bonn, Maestro Masur was made an honorary member of the Beethoven House, joining such illustrious members as Johannes Brahms, Giuseppe Verdi, Otto Klemperer, Karl Böhm, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado, Wilhelm Kempff, Yehudi Menuhin, Alfred Brendel and many more.

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN MUSIC FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
Kurt Masur will lead the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival Orchestra in four concerts at the end of August. The orchestra will perform in Hamburg on the 25th, Greifswald on the 30th, Berlin on the 31st, and Leipzig on September 1st. The soloists will be violinists Viviane Hagner and Tanja Becker-Bender, and the program will feature the music of Schnittke, Bach, and Bruckner.

MASTERCLASSES AND CONCERTS WITH THE ORCHESTRAS OF SAO PAOLO AND RIO DE JANEIRO
Kurt Masur will spend two weeks in Brazil, leading masterclasses and conducting the orchestras of Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro. The masterclasses, held in Sao Paolo, will take place on July 29th and 30th, and August 1st. The program covered will be Beethoven: Egmont Overture; Shostakovich: Symphony No. 1 and Strauss: Don Juan. For more information on these masterclasses, contact Flavio Moreira at (5511)-3351-8205.

On July 26th and 27th, Maestro Masur returns to the podium of the Orquestra Sinfonica Brasileira of Rio de Janeiro, after a long absence. The program will include Mozart and Bruckner. On July 31st and August 2nd, he conducts the Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paolo in programs of Strauss, Beethoven, and Brahms.

HONORARY MEMBERSHIP IN KURATORIUM ALTES RATHAUS HALLE
On May 11th, 2003 Kurt Masur was named honorary member of the Kuratorium Altes Rathaus Halle. This organization is dedicated to the preservation and reconstruction of the historic old City Hall in the town of Halle, Germany. In bestowing this honor, the Kuratorium cited Maestro Masur's achievements both as a conductor and as a humanist. Halle was the location of one of Kurt Masur's first professional appointments, where he spent three years as orchestra coach at the county theater. For more informatmion, www.altes-rathaus-halle.de.

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
Kurt Masur will return to the New York Philharmonic for three weeks of concerts, April 24 - May 10, 2003, with repertoire that includes World Premiere–New York Philharmonic Commissions by Lukas Foss and Siegfried Matthus, both dedicated to Maestro Masur; a New York Premiere by André Previn, who will conduct his own composition; and works by Dvorák, Bartók, Brahms, J.S. Bach, Handel, and Beethoven. To read the complete New York Philharmonic press release, click here.

On Tuesday, April 22, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Maestro Masur will participate in The New York Philharmonic Offstage at Barnes & Noble, an ongoing in-store event series at Barnes & Noble, 66th St. and Broadway. Mr. Masur will be signing copies of Kurt Masur at the New York Philharmonic, a commemorative, full-color, hardcover book that celebrates the initiatives and artistic endeavors of his 11-year tenure.

BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Kurt Masur will lead the Boston Symphony in the world premiere of Sofia Gubaidulina's "The Light of the End," a BSO commission, April 17-19 at Symphony Hall. The program also features music of Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky. To read the complete Boston Symphony Orchestra press release, click here.

LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA TOURS GERMANY AND BELGIUM
March 17-April 1, 2003
Maestro Masur and the London Philharmonic Orchestra travel to Germany and Belgium, with concerts in 13 cities including Nürnberg, Frankfurt, Freiburg, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Bremen and Brussels.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE TOURS HONG KONG
February 26-28, 2003
The Orchestre national de France and Maestro Masur visit Hong Kong for three concerts including Mendelssohn's rarely-performed complete music for A Midsummer Night's Dream.
  • Maestro Masur to lead Orchestre national de France in Mendelssohn cycle.

    PREVIOUS NEWS ITEMS

    MASUR BEGINS TENURE AS MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE ORCHESTRA NATIONAL DE FRANCE
    September 2002
    Maestro Kurt Masur has taken the post of Music Director of the Orchestra National de France in Paris beginning with the 2002-2003 season. After appearances with the Orchestra in September opening the new season, Masur will return to Paris for a cycle of all Beethoven symphonies.

    ASSOCIATED PRESS
    Masur Named Music Director Emeritus
    June 2, 2002
    The New York Philharmonic named Kurt Masur music director emeritus, making him the only person other than Leonard Bernstein to receive an honorary title from the symphony. MORE...

    KURT MASUR'S BIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED IN GERMANY
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    MAESTRO KURT MASUR RETURNS TO THE PODIUM
    February 7, 2002
    Maestro Kurt Masur returns to the podium for the first time after his surgery last fall to conduct performances of Act II and other selections from Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde," February 7, 9, 12 and 14, 2002. MORE...

    HEALTH STATEMENT FROM MAESTRO MASUR
    December 11, 2001
    Looking back at the past months, I feel deep gratitude. MORE...

    NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC SPECIAL EDITIONS™ TO RELEASE KURT MASUR AT THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
    10-CD Boxed Set To Offer Highlights of Maestro Masur's Eleven-Year Tenure with the Orchestra, Including Several Premiere Performances. Companion 176-Page, Full-Color, Hard Cover Book To Be Published as Tribute to the Music Director During His Valedictory Season with the Philharmonic. MORE...

    2001 YOUNG ARTISTS COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED
    Press Release
    November 3, 2001
    The winners of the 2001 Young Artists Competition, Pianist Hyung-Min Suh, age 11, Clarinetist Won-Jin Jo, age 16, and Pianist Ji-Yong Kim, age 10, were announced from the stage of Avery Fisher Hall this afternoon at the conclusion of today's final competition round. MORE...

    KURT MASUR TO WITHDRAW FROM CONCERTS FOR HEALTH REASONS
    Press Release
    September 22, 2001
    This afternoon, at a rehearsal at Avery Fisher Hall, Maestro Kurt Masur announced to the New York Philharmonic that beginning in December he would withdraw from two weeks of concerts, in addition to the New Year's Eve performance, for health reasons. MORE...

    "THANK YOU, KURT MASUR"
    NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC 2001-2002 SEASON
    During more than a decade of magnificent music-making, Music Director Kurt Masur has been the guiding force behind the New York Philharmonic. MORE...

    NEW YORK TIMES
    Masur Accepts 2d Conducting Post, in London
    November 12, 1998
    Kurt Masur, the music director of the New York Philharmonic since 1991, will become principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra as well, starting in 2000, Mr. Masur and officials of both orchestras said yesterday. MORE...