Currently in his fourth season as Music Director of the Omaha Symphony, Ankush Kumar Bahl has delivered resonant performances of masterworks (new and old) and continues to champion American composers and artists while pursuing innovative, community-based concert design.
After considerable thought, Maestro Ankush Kumar Bahl has decided that the 2024/25 concert season will be his final season as Music Director of the Omaha Symphony. He will lead the 24/25 season as planned and will serve as Artistic Partner for the Omaha Symphony in 2025/26 as the orchestra searches for new artistic leadership.
In this two-part broadcast interview (below or you can listen to the full length podcast at the top of this article) the maestro talks to “Live & Local” host Mike Hogan about how he got to Omaha, his focus on American artists, the genesis of the Grammy nominated world premiere of Andy Akiho’s “Sculptures” and why he has decided to move to a new chapter in his career.
Ankush’s final concert conducting as Omaha Symphony’s Music Director happens May 30th and 31st at the Holland Center, 7:30 p.m. This concert has been described as follows: "Intensity of emotion, drive, and instinct runs through this program, opening with Angélica Negrón’s Moriviví, premiered in 2022. Pianist Joyce Yang brings her “vivid and beautiful playing” (New York Times) to Grieg’s glorious Piano Concerto, but it will be Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, deservedly among the greatest symphonies ever written, that will close the 2024/25 season."
Thanks for everything, Maestro, and good luck!
Information and tickets can be found at https://www.omahasymphony.org/concerts/shostakovich-5-grieg-piano.
