Matthias Pintscher Appointed Music Director of Kansas City Symphony

“Matthias Pintscher will become music director of the Kansas City Symphony for the 2024-25 season, offered the job just five days after conducting the orchestra for the first time,” writes Ronald Blum in Tuesday’s (5/9) Associated Press. “His appointment on a five-year contract was announced Tuesday. The 52-year-old had not led the orchestra or been to Kansas City until arriving for rehearsals two days ahead of concerts from March 3-5.” Pintscher said rehearsals were “ ‘spontaneous, inspired. They cared so much about the colors and everyone was so tuned into enhancing the phrasing and articulation. They were so responding to my gestures, to my eyes.’ Pintscher, who also is a composer, is committing 10 weeks per season to the orchestra, of which eight or nine will be leading concerts and at least one devoted to community work. He will succeed Michael Stern, who ends a 19-year tenure with the 2023-24 season…. Pintscher’s time in Kansas City will replace his current commitment to Paris’ Ensemble Intercontemporain, where he has been music director since 2013-14 in a tenure that runs through the current season…. Pintscher lives in New York and anticipates continuing to compose mostly during summers.”