Germany's Hagen Orchestra Gets New Generalmusikdirektor, But He's American

The city of Hagen has a new Generalmusikdirektor or GMD. He is Joseph Trafton, an American, who made his first European conducting debut in Germany at the age of 21.

The 38-year-old symphony conductor, who hails from Kentucky, will now lead the Hagen Orchestra, Slippedisc reports. A non-public voting by the City Council happened last November, but it was only recently that Trafton signed the contract that made him the musical head of the city, added Radio Hagen. The Germany-based orchestra will start their 2017-2018 season with Trafton on board. He will be the GMD for the next five years until the council meets again for his replacement.

Trafton was the first Kappelmesiter at the Nationaltheater Mannheim in Germany for the past five years. During this time, he was able to conduct over 300 performances with different repertoire. Some of the works he is known for were the world premiere of "Der Golem," "Lucia di Lammermoor," "The Turn of the Screw," and "Scenes from Goethe's Faus."

He also conducted on several revivals while in Mannheim, Germany, such as "Carmen," "Der Freischütz," "Don Carlo," "Madama Butterfly," and many more. Meanwhile, aside from enjoying the world of classical music, Hamburg is also adoring the skills and talents of one of the first female conductor, Australian Simone Young, according to an interview performed by Deutsche Welle.

Young has been very active in the classical music scene, in which she spent the last 30 years of her life in Germany. She also held the position of GMD and Opera Director in the city of Hamburg. Now, she has been traveling around the world doing freelance conducting. Young has praised the attitude of the Germans when it comes to art, which has flourished better compared to other parts of the world.

"It has a lot to do with the fact the arts take a very central position in life in Germany, in a way that they don't, for example, in the English-speaking world. Here productions are expected to have a political commentary on current situations, or otherwise be socially relevant," Young said during the interview. Watch Joseph Trafton and the Nationaltheater Mannheim Orchestra perform William's "Star Wars" main title.

TagsHagen Orchestra, germany, Joseph Trafton, Generalmusikdirektor