Royal Northern Sinfonia has announced that German pianist and conductor Lars Vogt is to take over from Thomas Zehetmair as music director.
Vogt will kick off Sage Gateshead's 10th birthday season on Saturday 20 September with a programme of works by Brahms and Beethoven. Zehetmair makes his final appearance as music director in a concert at London's Milton Hall on Friday 13 June.
Vogt has worked regularly with Royal Northern Sinfonia, most recently in January 2014, performing and conducting in their From Player to Podium series.
'I am thrilled with my first conducting appointment with Royal Northern Sinfonia,' Vogt said. 'Whenever I have worked with this chamber orchestra, be it as soloist or as conductor, I’ve felt such a close connection and such an inspiring spirit of adventure with these wonderful musicians.'
At the age of 43, he has established himself as an international performer and conductor. He has retained close ties with the North East of England since being awarded 2nd Prize at the 1990 Leeds International Piano Competition.
Besides conducting and performing, Vogt has established Rhapsody in Schools, which enables pupils to hear and meet professional musicians, and founded his own chamber music festival, Spannungen, in Heimbach near Cologne.
Christine Laifa