“From Berlin to Birmingham. That will be Carlos Izcaray’s journey this year, as he assumes leadership of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra,” writes Mary Colurso in Thursday’s (1/15) Birmingham News (Alabama). “The Venezuelan-born conductor, 37, has been announced as the new music director of the 53-member orchestra, taking over the baton from previous director Justin Brown. Izcaray, who lives in Germany, will move to Alabama with his family later this year and begin his official tenure as maestro in September. He’ll perform here with the ensemble, however, as music director designate during two concerts on Feb. 13-14…. The new conductor has signed a four-year contract that involves up to 20 weeks per season.… His resume includes engagements with the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra in Thailand, Macedonian Philharmonic, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne in Switzerland, National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, Malmö Symfoniorkester in Sweden … and many more…. Izcaray trained as a cellist and served as principal cello and artistic president of the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra. He’s also a composer.” In a separate article at the website of NYC classical radio station WQXR on Friday (1/16), Brian Wise relates Izcaray’s account of his arrest and torture in 2004 in Venezuela, while watching an anti-Hugo Chávez protest near his home.
Posted January 20, 2015
