Franz Welser-Möst, one of The Cleveland Orchestra's longest-running leaders, announced that, in June 2027, he will not renew his contract as the orchestra's Music Director, according to a news release.
In 2027, Welser-Möst will have been TCO's music director for 25 years. He first guest-conducted TCO in 1993 and became its music director 10 years later. Over the following two decades, Welser-Möst helped to grow the orchestra's reputation around the world. The organization has not announced who will replace the music director.
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“I am immensely grateful for the extraordinary journey that I have had with The Cleveland Orchestra since I first came to Severance more than 30 years ago,” Welser-Möst says in a news release. “It is both a special and an emotional moment as I reflect on what we have accomplished together. But perhaps what matters most to me is the shared passion, the inspiring creativity, and the lasting friendships that I have had the privilege of building with our musicians, audiences, and fans around the world. The city of Cleveland, its people, and especially this wonderful orchestra will forever hold a special place in my heart.”
Welser-Möst is TCO's seventh music director. He has led the ensemble in more than 1,100 performances, including 20 operas, which took place in 21 different countries — including Vienna and Miami residencies. Of course, many of those performances were at the orchestra's Cleveland home.
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“Today’s a bittersweet day for all of us at The Cleveland Orchestra,” says André Gremillet, TCO's president and CEO, in a news release. “While we reflect upon and begin to celebrate the incredible artistry and legacy of Franz Welser-Möst, a great musician, a dear friend, and the chief architect of the Cleveland Sound in the 21st century, we recognize that we will deeply miss his passion, intellect, curiosity, and profound musicianship. We are however comforted to have three and a half more years of exceptional music-making ahead of us with Franz as Music Director, and many more opportunities beyond that. His leadership has transformed this organization, instilling a flexibility and lyricism to the Cleveland Sound that is instantly recognizable.”
Welser-Möst is well-known for his collaborations with new composers, bringing forward a variety of new commissions and helping to establish new voices within classical music composition. Under Welser-Möst's leadership, TCO has gained a younger audience, while also expanding its digital offerings, especially through its platform Adella.Live.
Along the way, Welser-Möst has earned many recognitions for his work, including two Cleveland Arts Prize citations, a Gold Metal in the Arts by the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts, The Cleveland Orchestra’s Distinguished Service Award, the Vienna Philharmonic’s “Ring of Honor" and more.
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