2021 in classical music

This page is for major events and other topics related to classical music in 2021.

List of years in classical music
… 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 …
Art Archaeology Architecture Literature Music Philosophy Science +...

Events

• 1 January
  • The Vienna Philharmonic performs its annual Neujahrskonzert, conducted by Riccardo Muti, without a live audience for the first time in the history of the concert, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]
  • Clemens Schuch becomes managing director of Bärenreiter-Verlag.[2]
• 4 January – Dutch National Opera and Ballet announces the appointment of Stijn Schoonderwoerd as its new general director (algemeen directeur), effective 1 February 2021.[3]
• 7 January – The Montreal Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Rafael Payare as its next music director, effective with the 2022-2023 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.[4]
• 11 January
  • The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Sir Simon Rattle as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2023-2024 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.[5]
  • The London Symphony Orchestra announces that Sir Simon Rattle is to stand down as music director of the orchestra in 2023, and subsequently to take the title of conductor emeritus for life.[6]
  • The Opéra national de Bordeaux announces that Marc Minkowski is to stand down as artistic director of the company in 2022.[7]
  • The city of Leipzig announces Hans-Joachim Schulze and Christoph Wolff as the joint recipients of the Bach-Medaille 2021 der Stadt Leipzig, the first time that the Leipzig Bach Medal has been awarded to two recipients.[8]
• 12 January – The National Repertory Orchestra announces the appointment of Michael Stern as its new music director.[9]
• 13 January
  • Klaus Lederer, Berlin Senator for Culture, announces the closure of theatres and opera houses in Berlin through Easter 2021, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]
  • Midori is announced as one of the recipients of the 2020 Kennedy Center Honors.[11]
• 14 January – The State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation announces the appointment of Vasily Petrenko as its next principal conductor, effective 1 September 2021.[12]
• 19 January – The New Century Chamber Orchestra announces the appointment of Richard Lonsdorf as its new executive director, with immediate effect.[13]
• 22 January – The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra announces that Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla is to conclude her tenure as its music director after the 2021–2022 season, and subsequently to take on the post of principal guest conductor.[14]
• 25 January
  • The Gesellschaft für Musikgeschichte Baden-Württemberg announces the appointment of Frieder Bernius as its new president.[15]
  • The Metropolitan Opera announces the appointment of Marcia Sells as its new chief diversity officer, the first such appointment in the history of the company.[16]
  • Opera Columbus announces the appointment of Julia Noulin-Mérat as its next general director and chief executive officer, with immediate effect.[17]
• 27 January
  • The Opéra national de Lorraine announces the appointment of Marta Gardolińska as its next music director, the first female conductor ever named to the post, effective with the 2021-2022 season, with an initial contract of three seasons.[18]
  • Dallas Opera announces the cancellation of its scheduled spring 2021 subscription season, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.[19]
  • Seong-Jin Cho gives the first performance of a recently re-discovered piano piece by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Allegro in D, K. 626b/16, at the Great Hall of the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation.[20]
• 28 January – The Bayreuth Festival announces the appointment of Ulrich Jagels as its new managing director.[21]
• 29 January – The Metropolitan Opera announces Erin Morley, Brenda Rae, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Ben Bliss, and Ryan Speedo Green as the joint recipients of the 2021 Beverly Sills Award, the first time that this award has been divided among multiple singers.[22]

New works

• Huw Belling (music) and Pierce Wilcox (text) – Fumeblind Oracle[23]
• Pamela Z – Times3[24]
• Septina Rosalina Layan – The Planet: A Lament[25]
• Hannah Kendall – "Where Is the Chariot of Fire?"[26]
• Jack Sheen – Hollow propranolol séance[27]
• Robert Keane – Suite for Two Pianos[28]

New operas

• Ben Frost and Daniela Danz – The Murder of Halit Yozgat[25]

Albums

• Stéphan Elmas – Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 ('The Romantic Piano Concerto', Volume 82; first recordings, Hyperion)
• Plaisirs Illuminés (works by Sándor Veress, Francisco Coll, Alberto Ginastera)[29]
• Beschenkt (works by Sir George Benjamin, Peter Eötvös, Michael Gordon, HK Gruber, Chikage Imai, Cathy Milliken, Brigitta Muntendorf, Olga Neuwirth, Johannes Schöllhorn et al; first recordings, Ensemble Modern Medien)[30]
• Claire Cowan – Hansel and Gretel (first recording)[31]

Deaths

• 3 January – Tasso Adamopoulos, Greek-French violist and pedagogue, 76 (from COVID-19)[32]
• 5 January – John Georgiadis, British orchestral violinist and leader, and conductor, 81[33]
• 6 January
  • Reinhold Johannes Buhl, German cellist, 87[34]
  • Osian Ellis, British harpist, 92[35]
• 7 January – Biserka Cvejić, Serbian mezzo-soprano/contralto and pedagogue, 97[36]
• 13 January – Henri Goraieb, Lebanon-born pianist resident in France, 85[37]
• 14 January – Elijah Moshinsky, Australian opera director resident in the UK, 75 (from COVID-19)[38]
• 22 January – Louis Dandrel, French music journalist, composer, administrator, and sound designer, 82[39]
• 26 January – Eva Coutaz, French recording executive (harmonia mundi), 76[40]

References

1. "Neujahrskonzert 2021 ohne Publikum, 2022 mit Barenboim". Der Standard. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
2. "Geschäftsführer bei Bärenreiter: Clemens Scheuch steigt in Geschäftsleitung auf" (Press release). Bärenreiter-Verlag. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
3. "Stijn Schoonderwoerd nieuwe algemeen directeur Nationale Opera & Ballet" (Press release). Dutch National Opera. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
4. Luc Boulanger (7 January 2021). "Rafael Payare, nouveau maestro de l'OSM". La Presse. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
5. "Sir Simon appointed Chief Conductor" (Press release). Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
6. "Sir Simon Rattle announces an extension of his contract as Music Director until 2023 and accepts lifetime position of Conductor Emeritus thereafter" (Press release). London Symphony Orchestra. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
7. Mathieu Message (11 January 2021). "Marc Minkowski ne sera plus à la tête de l'Opéra national de Bordeaux à partir de 2022". France Musique. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
8. "Bach-Medaille 2021 geht an zwei frühere Direktoren des Bach-Archivs". MDR. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
9. "NRO Announces New Music Director" (Press release). National Repertory Orchestra. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
10. "Lederer: Bis Ostern macht keine Bühne auf" (Press release). City of Berlin. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
11. "Debbie Allen, Joan Baez, Garth Brooks, Midori, and Dick Van Dyke To Receive 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors in Recognition of Lifetime Artistic Achievement" (Press release). John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
12. "Vasily Petrenko will become the Artistic Director of the Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra" (Press release). State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
13. "Richard Lonsdorf appointed Executive Director of New Century Chamber Orchestra" (PDF) (Press release). New Century Chamber Orchestra. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
14. "Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla extends contract with the CBSO" (Press release). City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
15. "Frieder Bernius neuer Präsident der Gesellschaft für Musikgeschichte Baden-Württemberg". NMZ. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
16. Joshua Barone (25 January 2021). "The Metropolitan Opera Hires Its First Chief Diversity Officer". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
17. "Opera Columbus names new General Director + CEO" (PDF) (Press release). Opera Columbus. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
18. Laurent Borde (27 January 2021). "Marta Gardolińska nommée directrice musicale de l'Opéra national de Lorraine". France Musique. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
19. "Dallas Opera Cancels Spring 2021 Operas and Announces New 2021-2022 Season" (PDF) (Press release). Dallas Opera. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
20. "The unknown Mozart: Seong-Jin Cho to give world premiere of Allegro in D" (Press release). Deutsche Grammophon. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
21. "Ulrich Jagels wird neuer Geschäftsführer". BR-Klassik. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
22. "Metropolitan Opera Names Erin Morley, Brenda Rae, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Ben Bliss and Ryan Speedo Green as Co-Winners of Beverly Sills Artist Award". Opera News. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
23. Angus McPherson (7 January 2021). "Future Remains (Sydney Chamber Opera, Sydney Festival)". Limelight Magazine. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
24. Seth Colter Walls (7 January 2021). "Pamela Z Manipulates Voices in a Virtual Tour of Times Square". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
25. Zachary Woolfe (11 January 2021). "Forced Online, an Opera Festival Searches for Intimacy". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
26. Tim Ashley (15 January 2021). "Hallé/Bloxham/Gillam review - exquisite playing and virtuosity". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
27. Wigmore Hall, 18 January 2021 programme
28. Angus McPherson (20 January 2021). "12 Hands 6 Grands (Sydney International Piano Competition, Sydney Festival)". Limelight Magazine. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
29. Andrew Clements (14 January 2021). "Plaisirs Illuminés: Works by Veress, Ginastera, Coll, etc review – spellbinding meeting of virtuoso equals". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
30. Kristin Amme (16 January 2021). "Miniaturen Zum 40. Geburtstag". BR Klassik. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
31. Deborah Jones (19 January 2021). "Claire Cowan: Hansel and Gretel (New Zealand Symphony Orchestra)". Limelight Magazine. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
32. Suzana Kubik (4 January 2021). "Disparition de l'altiste et éminent pédagogue Tasso Adamopoulos". France Musique. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
33. "Obituary: John Georgiadis (1939–2021)" (Press release). London Symphony Orchestra. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
34. Falk Häfner (8 January 2021). "Trauer um Reinhold Johannes Buhl: Ehemaliger Solo-Cellist des BRSO verstorben". BR Klassik. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
35. "Obituary: Osian Ellis (1928–2021)" (Press release). London Symphony Orchestra. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
36. Keith Bramich (10 January 2021). "January 2021 Obituaries". Classical Music Daily. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
37. Suzana Kubik (18 January 2021). "Décès du pianiste libanais Henri Goraieb". France Musique. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
38. Jo Litson (17 January 2021). "Elijah Moshinsky has died". Limelight Magazine. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
39. Laurent Borde (23 January 2021). "Décès de Louis Dandrel, ancien directeur de France Musique". France Musique. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
40. Laurent Borde (28 January 2021). "Décès d'Eva Coutaz, ancienne PDG d'Harmonia Mundi". France Musique. Retrieved 30 January 2021.