•
1 January • At the 2025
Vienna New Year's Concert, the
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and
Riccardo Muti perform the
Ferdinandus-Walzer of
Constanze Geiger, the first music by a female composer ever performed in the Vienna Philharmonic's
Neujahrskonzert. The orchestra and conductor featured the same Constanze Geiger selection in the 30 December 2024 and 31 December 2024 performances at the Musikverein of the same programme. • The new all-female ensemble
La Philharmonica gives its inaugural concert at the
Ehrbarsaal, Vienna, with a programme of music by
Leopoldine Blahetka,
Gisela Frankl, Constanze Geiger,
Joseph Hellmesberger Jr.,
Mathilde Kralik,
Johann Strauss II,
Maria Anna Stubenberg, and
Josephine Amann-Weinlich. •
6 January – The Moab Music Festival simultaneously announces the appointment of
Tessa Lark as its next artistic director, and the retirement of its founding directors Michael Barrett and Leslie Tomkins. •
9 January – The
Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra announces the appointment of
Martin Rajna as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of four seasons. •
10 January – The
Houston Symphony announces the appointment of Gary Ginstling as its next executive director and chief executive officer, effective 3 February 2025. •
13 January – News reports confirm the destruction of Belmont Music Publishers, the publisher of the works of
Arnold Schoenberg, with losses on the order of 100,000 scores and parts, as a result of the
Palisades Fire. •
14 January –
Sony Music Entertainment announces its acquisition of
Supraphon. •
15 January • The
Singapore Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of
Hannu Lintu as its next music director, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of three seasons. In parallel, the orchestra announces that
Hans Graf is to stand down as its music director at the close of the 2025–2026 season. • The 19th century barge that served as the concert venue for
Bargemusic is towed from its long-standing slip at
Fulton Ferry Landing for scrappage at Staten Island, after evaluation and judgment that the barge was no longer viable to continue as a concert venue. •
16 January • The
Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung announces its 2025 prizes: • Sir
Simon Rattle is announced as the recipient of the 2025
Ernst von Siemens Music Prize. • Ashkan Behzadi, Bastien David and Kristine Tjøgersen are announced as the recipients of the 2025 Ernst von Siemens Composer Prizes. • The
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Robert McGrath as its next executive director and chief executive officer, effective 3 February 2025. •
17 January – The
Seattle Symphony announces the scheduled departure of Krishna Thiagarajan as its president and chief executive director, effective 30 April 2025. •
24 January •
Juanjo Mena discloses via social media his diagnosis of early-stage
Alzheimer's disease. • The
Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana announces the appointment of Sir
Mark Elder as its next music director, effective 1 September 2025, with an initial contract of two years. • The first live performance of selections from the opera
Morgiane, with music by
Edmond Dédé, takes place at the
St. Louis Cathedral (New Orleans), under a joint presentation by
Opera Lafayette and OperaCréole. •
27 January • The board of the Basque National Orchestra terminates the contract of
Robert Treviño contract as its music director, with immediate effect. • The
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announces that Deborah Rutter is to stand down as its president at the close of 2025. • The Teatro Municipal de Santiago announces the appointment of Paolo Bortolameolli as the new principal conductor of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Santiago, with immediate effect, with a contract through 2028. •
28 January –
On Site Opera announces that it is to cease operations in the winter of 2025. •
29 January –
Opera Australia announces the departure of Fiona Allan as its chief executive officer, with immediate effect. •
3 February –
Opera Lafayette and OperaCréole jointly present the first complete performance of the opera
Morgiane by
Edmond Dédé at the
Lincoln Theatre (Washington, D.C.) •
4 February • The
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra announces the appointment of Vanessa Reed as its next chief executive, effective 2 June 2025. •
New Music USA announces that Vanessa Reed is to stand down as its president and chief executive officer as of 2 May 2025. •
6 February –
Daniel Barenboim discloses via social media his diagnosis of
Parkinson's disease. •
7 February – The 'Joachim-Ma' Stradivarius violin sells for US$11.25 million at auction at Sotheby's, with proceeds from the sale to benefit a student scholarship programme at the
New England Conservatory of Music. •
10 February – The
Kaufman Music Center announces the appointment of
Anthony Mazzocchi as its next executive director. •
12 February – The
Antwerp Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of
Marc Albrecht as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2026–2027 season. •
14 February – The
Edmonton Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of
Jean-Marie Zeitouni as its next music director, effective with the 2025–2026 season. •
18 February – The
Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of
Markus Poschner as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2026–2027 season, subject to the settlement of secure funding for the orchestra. •
24 February –
Michael Tilson Thomas announces via his website that his
glioblastoma has returned and that he is curtailing his guest-conducting appearances, with his final conducting appearance scheduled for 26 April 2025 in San Francisco. •
28 February – •
Christian Tetzlaff announces the cancellation of his planned spring 2025 concert tour of the United States with his string quartet, in protest at US government policies. • Graham Parker stands down as chief executive officer of The
Louisville Orchestra. •
4 March – The
Aizuri Quartet announces that it is to disband at the close of the 2024–2025 concert season, with its final performance scheduled for 25 April 2025. •
5 March • The Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie announces the appointment of
Marzena Diakun as its next chief conductor, the first female conductor to be named to the post, effective with the 2026–2027 season. • The
Handel and Haydn Society announces that David Snead is to retire from the posts of president and chief executive officer, effective May 2025. •
6 March • Symphony Tacoma announces that
Sarah Ioannides is to conclude her tenure as music director of Symphony Tacoma at the close of the 2025–2026 season. • The Royal Philharmonic Society Awards are announced at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire: • Chamber-Scale Composition: Sarah Lianne Lewis –
letting the light in • Conductor:
Kazuki Yamada • Ensemble:
Paraorchestra • Gamechanger:
NMC Recordings • Impact: Re:Discover Festival – Streetwise Opera • Inspiration: Open Arts Community Choir • Instrumentalist:
Laura van der Heijden • Large-Scale Composition:
Katherine Balch –
whisper concerto • Opera and Music Theatre:
Death in Venice –
Welsh National Opera • Series and Events: The Cumnock Tryst • Singer: Claire Booth • Storytelling:
Classical Africa –
BBC Radio 3 • Young Artist: GBSR Duo •
10 March – The
Norwegian Radio Orchestra announces the appointment of
Holly Hyun Choe as its next principal conductor, the first female conductor to be named to the post, effective January 2026. •
13 March • The
Deutsches Nationaltheater und Staatskapelle Weimar announces the appointment of Daniel Carter as its next music director, effective with the 2025–2026 season. • The
Eugene Symphony announces the appointment of
Alex Prior as its next music director, effective with the 2025–2026 season, with an initial contract of four years. • The first public performance of the complete three-movement opus
Míjející půlnoc (
Vanishing Midnight) by
Bohuslav Martinů takes place in
Zlín, 103 years after its composition, with the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Robert Kružík. • The first documented public performance of music from the cantata
Sémiramis by
Maurice Ravel, the 'Prélude et Danse', is given by the
New York Philharmonic and
Gustavo Dudamel at David Geffen Hall, New York City. •
19 March • Sir
András Schiff announces the cancellation of his scheduled 2025–2026 concert appearances in the United States, in protest at US government policies. • The first performance of a rediscovered 1920 composition by
Darius Milhaud, a setting for soprano and seven instruments of a text by
Jean Cocteau composed for the birthday of Audrey Parr and found at the residence of Parr's granddaughter Laetitia Jack, takes place at
Cardiff University School of Music. •
23 March – The first performance of the Violin Concerto of
Wilhelm Petersen, composed in the 1940s, takes place at the
Gewandhaus,
Leipzig, with soloist Linus Roth and the
MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Constantin Trinks. •
1 April – Adrien Perruchon becomes principal conductor of the
Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, the first non-Korean conductor to hold the post. •
2 April – The municipality of
Princeton, New Jersey formally takes ownership of the campus of
Westminster Choir College. •
3 April – The
Netherlands Bach Society announces the appointment of Johanna Soller as its next artistic director, the first woman to hold the post, effective 1 May 2025, with an initial contract of five seasons. •
10 April • The
London Philharmonic Choir announces the appointment of Madeleine Venner as its chorus director, the first woman to be named to the post, effective with the 2025–2026 season. • The
Staatstheater Braunschweig announces the appointment of Tobias Wolff as its next
Generalintendant (General Director), effective in the autumn of 2026. •
13 April – The Ukrainian pianist and organist Olena Kohut is killed as a result of a Russian missile attack on
Sumy. •
15 April • The Korean National Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of
Roberto Abbado as its new artistic director, effective January 2026, with an initial contract of three years. •
Opera Colorado announces the appointment of Barbara Lynne Jamison as its next general director and chief executive officer, effective 1 August 2025. •
Kentucky Opera announces that Barbara Lynne Jamison is to stand down as its general director at the close of the 2024–2025 season. •
21 April – The Solti Foundation U.S. announces
Holly Hyun Choe as the recipient of the 2025 The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award. •
23 April – The
Philadelphia Orchestra announces the appointment of Ryan Fleur as its new president and chief executive officer, with immediate effect. •
25 April • The
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin announces the appointment of Kazuki Yamada as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of three years. •
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts announces the appointment of
Daniel Hope as its next artistic advisor, effective with the 2025–2026 season. •
26 April • The
South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, conducted by
Delta David Gier, presents the first live performance of the opera
Giants in the Earth by
Douglas Moore since 1974, in a new performing edition. •
Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the final concert of his career, with the
San Francisco Symphony. •
29 April – The Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra announces that it is to cease operations permanently at the close of June 2025. •
1 May – The
Delaware Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of
Michelle Di Russo as its next music director, the first female conductor to be named to the post, effective with the 2025–2026 season. •
5 May The
Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra announces that
Kazuki Yamada is to conclude his tenure as its music director at the close of his current contract, in August 2026. •
6 May •
Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla conducts the
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the
Konzerthaus, Vienna in the first subscription series concert in the orchestra's history with a female conductor. • The
Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts announces the appointment of Gillian Fox as its next president and chief executive officer, effective 9 June 2025. •
12 May –
La Scala announces the appointment of
Myung-whun Chung as its next music director, effective in 2027. •
14 May •
English National Opera announces the appointment of
André de Ridder as its next music director, effective with the 2027–2028 season. • The city of
Freiburg im Breisgau announces that André de Ridder is to stand down as
Generalmusikdirektor (GMD) of the
Theater Freiburg at the close of the 2026–2027 season. • The
National Arts Centre Orchestra announces that
Alexander Shelley is to conclude his tenure as its music director at the close of the 2025–2026 season. •
28 May – The
London Mozart Players announce that Flynn Le Brocq is to stand down as its chief executive officer at the end of August 2025. •
29 May – The
Ojai Music Festival announces that Ara Guzelimian is to stand down as its executive director at the close of the festival's 2026 season. •
30 May –
Los Angeles Opera announces the appointment of
Domingo Hindoyan as its next music director, effective 1 July 2026, with an initial contract of five years. •
3 June – The
Chicago Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of
Donald Palumbo as the next director of the
Chicago Symphony Chorus, effective 1 July 2025, with an initial contract of three years. •
7 June – The
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition announces the medal winners of the 2025 Cliburn Competition: • Gold Medal: Aristo Sham • Silver Medal: Vitaly Starikov • Bronze Medal: Evren Ozel •
9 June – The
Columbus Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Maureen O'Brien as its next chief executive officer, effective 15 July 2025. •
11 June – The
Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra announces the appointment of Simon Rivard as its new music director, effective 1 June 2025. •
12 June – The
Opéra de Montréal announces simultaneously the scheduled retirement of Patrick Corrigan as its general director and the appointment of Jean-Pierre Primiani as its new general director, both effective 1 November 2025. •
13 June • The King's Birthday Honours 2025: •
Alex Beard is made a Knight Bachelor. • David Pickard is made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. • Ann Atkinson Sharp, Gabriella Di Laccio, and Angela Dixon are each made a Member of the Order of the British Empire. • The
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino announces the appointment of
Daniele Gatti as its next music director, as of the 2026 season, with an initial contract of 3 years. •
23 June – The
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra announces simultaneously the appointment of
André de Ridder as its next music director and the scheduled conclusion of
Gemma New's tenure as its principal conductor, both effective in 2027. •
24 June • The
Deutsche Oper am Rhein announces the appointment of Ina Karr as its new
Generalintendantin (General Managing Director), the first woman to be named to the post, effective with the 2027–2028 season, with an initial contract of five years. • The
Duisburg Philharmonic announces the appointment of Stefan Blunier as its next
Generalmusikdirektor, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of three years. •
25 June – The
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra announces the appointment of Peter Whelan as its next music director, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of three seasons. •
27 June – The
London Symphony Orchestra announces that Kathryn McDowall is to stand down as its managing director in July 2026. •
30 June • The
Czech Philharmonic announces the appointment of
Jakub Hrůša as its next chief conductor and music director, effective with the 2028–2029 season, with an initial contract of five seasons. • The
Governor-General of Canada announces the appointment of Michel Cardin as a Member of the
Order of Canada. •
4 July The
BBC Singers simultaneously announce the scheduled conclusion of the tenure of
Sofi Jeannin as its chief conductor at the close of the 2025–2026 season, and the appointment of Owain Park as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2026–2027 season. •
9 July – The Gran Teatre del
Liceu announces simultaneously the scheduled conclusion of the tenure of
Josep Pons as its music director, and the appointment of
Jonathan Nott as its next music director, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of five years. •
15 July – The
Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur des Landes Brandenburg announces the appointment of Felix Mildenburg as the next chief conductor of the Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt (
Brandenburgischen Staatsorchesters Frankfurt), effective 1 August 2026. •
16 July – The
Nashville Symphony announces the re-appointment of
Leonard Slatkin as its music advisor, effective with the 2025–2026 season, for a term of three seasons. •
18 July • The
Bayreuth Festival announces the appointment of Matthias Rädel as its next general manager. • The
Minnesota Orchestra announces the appointment of Isaac Thompson as its next president and chief executive officer, effective 14 October 2025. • The
Oregon Symphony announces that Isaac Thompson is to stand down as its president and chief executive officer (CEO), and that Paul Snyder is to become interim CEO upon the departure of Thompson. •
21 July • The Orchestre national de Cannes announces the appointment of
Holly Hyun Choe as its next music director, the first female conductor ever named to the post, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of four seasons. • The Un'Estate da RE Festival announces the cancellation of the previously announced concert scheduled for July 27 that was to have featured
Valery Gergiev as conductor, in his first Western Europe concert following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. •
29 July • The
Staatstheater Nürnberg announces the appointment of Killian Farrell as its next
Generalmusikdirektor, effective with the 2027–2028 season. • The
Colorado Springs Philharmonic announces the appointment of
Chloé Dufresne as its new music director, the first female conductor to be named to the post, effective with the 2025–2026 season, with an initial contract of three seasons. •
31 July • The
Bruckner Orchestra Linz announces the appointment of
Christoph Koncz as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2027–2028 season, with an initial contract of five years. • The Nashville Symphony announces that Alan D. Valentine is to retire from the posts of president and chief executive officer of the orchestra, as of the close of the 2025–2026 season. •
8 August –
Portland Opera announces the appointment of Damian Jeter as its new music director, with immediate effect. •
15 August – The first performance of the original French-language version of the one-act opera
Mariken de Nimègue by Bohuslav Martinů, 92 years after its composition, takes place at the 2025
Bard Music Festival, conducted by Zachary Schwartzman. •
26 August • The
Oslo Philharmonic announces that
Klaus Mäkelä is to conclude his tenure as chief conductor of the orchestra at the close of the 2025–2026 season. •
Les Violons du Roy announces that
Jonathan Cohen concluded his tenure as its music director at the close of the 2024–2025 season. •
29 August – The protest group Jewish Artists for Palestine twice disrupts the Proms concert by the
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and
Jaime Martín during the first Proms performance of
Haunted Hills by
Margaret Sutherland, in the wake of the legal dispute between the orchestra's management and Jayson Gillham, preventing an uninterrupted hearing of the Sutherland composition. •
1 September – The
Orchestre national d'Île-de-France announces simultaneously the scheduled conclusion of the tenure of
Case Scaglione as its music director at the close of the 2026–2027 season, and the appointment of
Pablo González as its next music director, effective with the 2027–2028 season, with an initial contract of four seasons. •
2 September • The
Orchestre de Paris announces the appointment of
Esa-Pekka Salonen as its new principal conductor, effective with the 2027–2028 season, with an initial contract of five years. • The
Philharmonie de Paris announces the appointment of Esa-Pekka Salonen to the newly created post of
chaire Création et innovation ('creativity and innovation chair'), as of the 2027–2028 season, with an initial contract of five seasons. • The
Los Angeles Philharmonic announces the appointment of Esa-Pekka Salonen to the new post of creative director, effective in 2026. •
10 September – The
Festival of Flanders cancels a previously scheduled concert with the
Munich Philharmonic and
Lahav Shani, citing a lack of 'sufficient clarity' on Shani's opinions regarding the Israeli government with respect to the Gaza conflict. •
12 September – The
Berlin Philharmonic announces that the Munich Philharmonic and Lahav Shani are to perform the concert originally scheduled for the Flanders Festival Ghent instead at the
Konzerthaus Berlin on 15 September 2025, in the wake of the annulled invitation by the Flanders Festival Ghent of the originally scheduled concert by these artists on 18 September 2025. •
13 September –
Alison Balsom gives the final performance of her musical career at the
Royal Albert Hall as part of the 2025 Last Night of
The Proms. •
17 September – The
RTVE Symphony Orchestra announces simultaneously the appointment of Alexandre Bloch as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of three seasons, and the scheduled conclusion of the tenure of
Christoph König as its chief conductor at the close of the 2025–2026 season. •
21 September – The first performance of the one-act opera
Parabola and Circula, composed in 1929–1930 with music by
Marc Blitzstein and libretto by George Whitsett, takes place at the Berlin Philharmonie with the
Norrköping Symphony Orchestra conducted by
Karl-Heinz Steffens. •
22 September • The
Deutsche Oper Berlin announces the appointments of
Maxime Pascal and Michele Spotti as co-principal guest conductors, and Titus Engel as 'conductor-in-residence', all effective in the summer of 2026. • The Teatro
La Fenice announces the nomination of
Beatrice Venezi as its next music director for the period of October 2026 to March 2030, without Venezi ever having conducted a full opera production or symphony concert with the company prior to her nomination. •
24 September • The
Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra announces simultaneously the scheduled conclusion of the tenure of
Kazushi Ōno as its music director in April 2026, and the appointment of
Pekka Kuusisto as its new chief conductor, effective April 2028, with an initial contract of three years.. • The
Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra announces simultaneously the scheduled conclusionf of the tenure of
Petr Popelka as its chief conductor at the close of the 2025–2026 season, and the appointment of
Elias Grandy as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2026–2027 season. • The
National Symphony Orchestra (Ireland) announces the appointment of
Alexander Shelley as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of three seasons. • Portland Opera announces that Sue Dixon is to retire as its general director on 31 December 2025. •
25 September • Kuke Music Holding Limited announces its acquisition of a controlling interest in Naxos Records. • The
Royal Philharmonic Society awards
Víkingur Ólafsson its Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal on-stage at the
Royal Festival Hall. •
26 September • The
Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia announces its departure from the
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts as a resident ensemble. • The musicians of the
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra take industrial action, leading to concert cancellations. •
27 September – The
Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra announces the appointment of
Carl St.Clair as its new music director. •
30 September –
Garsington Opera announces the appointment of Ben Weston as its new executive director, effective 10 November 2025. •
6 October – The musicians of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra reach an agreement with the Vancouver Symphony Society, concluding their industrial action. •
10 October – The city of
Bochum announces the appointment of Aurel Dawidiuk as the next
Generalmusikdirektor of the
Bochumer Symphoniker and
Intendant of the Anneliese Brost Musikforum Ruhr, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of three years. •
17 October – The originally scheduled season-opening night production of
Wozzeck at
La Fenice is cancelled, following previously proposed industrial action by the company orchestra's musicians in protest at the appointment of
Beatrice Venezi as the company's next music director. •
21 October • The
International Chopin Piano Competition announces the results of the 2025 competition: • First place: Eric Liu • Second place: Kevin Chen • Third place: Zitong Wang • The London Mozart Players announce the appointment of Chrissy Kinsella as its next chief executive, effective 1 January 2026. • The
Aspen Music Festival and School announces that Alan Fletcher is to retire as its president and chief executive officer effective 1 January 2027, and subsequently to take the title of president emeritus. •
24 October – The
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain announces the appointment of
Alpesh Chauhan as its new principal conductor and musical advisor. •
27 October • The Sinfonietta de Lausanne announces the appointment of Lucie Leguay as its next music director, the first female conductor to be named to the post, effective with the 2026–2027 season, with an initial contract of three seasons. In parallel, David Reiland is scheduled to stand down as music director of the Sinfonietta de Lausanne at the close of the 2025–2026 season. • The
Berlin Radio Choir announces the appointment of Yuval Weinberg as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2028–2029 season. •
28 October –
Les Violons du Roy announces the re-appointment of
Bernard Labadie as its music director, effective with the 2026–2027 season. •
1 November –
Maria João Pires announces her retirement from concert performance at the award ceremony for the
Prémio Europeu Helena Vaz da Silva para a Divulgação do Património Cultural. •
5 November –
Opera Ballet Vlaanderen announces the appointment of Stephan Zilias as its next chief conductor, effective in September 2026. •
6 November –
Houston Grand Opera announces the appointment of
James Gaffigan as its next music director, effective with the 2026-2027 season, with an initial contract of five seasons. •
7 November – The
Spokane Symphony announces the appointment of Steve Wenig as its new executive director. •
11 November • The
Junge Deutsche Philharmonie announces the appointment of John Storgårds as its new principal conductor and artistic advisor, effective in 2026. • The
Los Angeles Philharmonic announces the renaming of the mainstage of the
Hollywood Bowl as the
John Williams Stage. •
17 November • In connection with the recent authentication by Peter Wollny of the
Bach Archive,
Leipzig, of two previously unidentified organ compositions by
Johann Sebastian Bach, the Chaconne in D minor (BWV 1178) and the Chaconne in G minor (BWV 1179): • These two compositions are added to the official catalogue of compositions of J. S. Bach. • The first live performances of these two works take place at
St. Thomas Church, Leipzig, performed by
Ton Koopman. • Orchestra Lumos announces the appointment of Walker Beard as its next president and chief executive officer, effective 1 January 2026. •
18 November – English National Opera announces that Jenny Mollica is to stand down as its chief executive officer in the summer of 2026. •
20 November – The Oregon Symphony announces the appointment of Paul Snyder as its next president and chief executive officer, with immediate effect. •
26 November –
Kari Kriikku announces his retirement from musical performance. •
27 November – The
Ulster Orchestra announces the appointment of
Anna Handler as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2026-2027 season, with an initial contract of three years. •
5 December – The
Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival announces Birke Bertelsmeier as the recipient of its
Hindemith-Preis ('Hindemith Prize') for 2026. •
9 December – The
National Arts Centre (Canada) announces the appointment of Annabelle Cloutier as its new president and chief executive officer, with immediate effect, with an initial contract of five years. •
10 December – The
Monte-Carlo Philharmonic announces the appointment of
Nathalie Stutzmann as its next music director and artistic director, the first female conductor to be named to the posts, effective with the 2026-2027 season, with an initial contract of four years. •
12 December – The
Teatro di San Carlo presents the world premiere performance of
Partenope, the only opera composed by
Ennio Morricone, to a libretto by Guido Barbieri and Sandro Cappelletto. •
15 December –
Sabine Meyer gives the final concert of her career in Bern, with the Alliage Quintet. •
17 December –
Detroit Opera announces that Yuval Sharon is to stand down as its artistic director at the close of the 2025-2026 season, two years ahead of his most recent contract. •
18 December – Tellef Johnson gives the premiere performance of the Piano Sonata No. 5 (
Opus archimagicum) by
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, composed in 1934-1035, at
South Dakota State University. •
22 December – The
Royal Society of Musicians announces the appointment of
Errollyn Wallen as its new president. •
26 December – The
KBS Symphony Orchestra announces the re-appointment of
Myung-whun Chung as its music director, effective in January 2026, with an initial contract through December 2028. •
29 December – New Year Honours 2026: •
Alice Coote,
Richard Farnes, and
Max Richter are each made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). •
Richard Morrison is made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). •
30 December –
Barry Truax is appointed a Member of the
Order of Canada. ==New works==