Thursday (2/5) on MusicalAmerica.com, Nicholas Beard reports, “Composer and conductor Oliver Knussen is to be the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s new ‘artist in association’ starting July 1 and continuing through his 60th birthday in 2012. He succeeds John Adams, the orchestra’s first artist in association, who started in 2003. In his new role, Knussen will conduct three programs a season and be involved in various additional programming decisions. His affiliation with the orchestra dates to 1979 when it performed the world premiere of his Third Symphony; the group has since premiered his ‘Songs and a Sea Interlude’ from ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ and ‘Whitman Settings’ for soprano and orchestra. … Paul Hughes, General Manager of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, called Knussen ‘one of the finest composers and conductors working today,’ while Knussen called his collaboration with the orchestra ‘unusually close.’ ”
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