In Thursday’s (1/19) Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Rosalind Bentley writes, “This week’s Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performance of Beethoven’s Third Symphony was supposed to be one of the last times Donald Runnicles would direct the ASO as its principal guest conductor, a position he’s held for just over a decade. … Today, the ASO will formally announce that Runnicles’ contract, which was to have ended at the conclusion of this season, has been extended another two years through the 2013-2014 season. For one of the city’s cornerstone artistic organizations, the retention of Runnicles is a major achievement. ‘After 10 years, in some ways I feel as though we’ve just gotten started,’ Runnicles said in an exclusive interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ‘At this stage of my career, my only ambition is to imbue my incumbent relationships with more depth.’ Much in demand internationally, the Scottish conductor is also the general music director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the music director of the Grand Teton Music Festival. He and his family call Berlin home, but under this new contract he’ll spend three weeks a year working with the ASO, perhaps four, if his schedule allows.”
Posted January 19, 2012
