“The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra announced a four-year extension of Stéphane Denève’s contract as music director, through the end of the 2025-26 season,” writes Eric Meyer in Tuesday’s (3/30) St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO). “His initial three-year contract began with the 2019-20 season following one season as music director designate…. Serving as the SLSO’s 13th music director, Denève has attracted top artists to St. Louis, including his appointment of 10 musicians to the orchestra and the selection of Stephanie Childress as the SLSO’s new assistant conductor. Denève has invited pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and violinist Nicola Benedetti for artist-in-residence relationships with the SLSO and led collaborations with celebrated film composer John Williams. In addition to an emphasis on the French repertoire, Denève is committed to new music through commissions and the programming of contemporary composers including Anna Clyne, Guillaume Connesson, Stacey Garrop, Nathalie Joachim, Aaron Jay Kernis, James MacMillan, Jessie Montgomery, Kevin Puts and many others. Denève helped the SLSO address economic barriers to classical music by introducing $15 concert tickets and launching ‘Stéphane Seats,’ a program that has welcomed more than 230 students, teachers and community partners to attend concerts for free.”
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