“The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will soon be in the market for a new concertmaster,” writes Taylor Grant in Monday’s (9/23) Musical America (subscription required). “On Sept. 20 the MSO announced that after 25 years in the first chair, Frank Almond will retire at the conclusion of the 2019-2020 season. In a statement accompanying the announcement, Almond lauded the MSO ‘a world class organization … it has been my privilege to serve.’… Appointed in 1995 by Zdenek Mácal, Almond has served as the critical liaison between the orchestra and a succession of music directors that includes Mácal, Andreas Delfs, Edo de Waart, and currently Ken-David Masur. While stepping aside as concertmaster, Almond will continue to serve the MSO as an artistic adviser. During his career, Almond has also been concertmaster for the Rotterdam Philharmonic under Valery Gergiev and guest concertmaster of the London Philharmonic with Kurt Masur. A regular soloist and chamber musician, Almond founded Frankly Music, an innovative chamber music series now in its 16th season. Almond plays the 1715 Lipinski Stradivarius.… The MSO’s Music Director Ken-David Masur and President and Executive Director Mark Niehaus both lavished … praise on Almond’s contributions to the orchestra.”
Posted September 24, 2019
