Biography
Over the past quarter-century, Manfred Honeck has firmly established himself as one of the world’s leading conductors, renowned for his distinctive interpretations and arrangements of a wide range of repertoire. For more than 15 years he has served as music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, celebrated in that city and abroad. Together, they have continued a legacy of music-making that includes several Grammy nominations and a 2018 Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance. Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, as one of the most frequently toured American orchestras, serve as cultural ambassadors for the city. Their regular appearances abroad have taken them to the major European music capitals and leading festivals such as the BBC Proms in London, Musikfest Berlin, Lucerne Festival, and the Salzburg Festival.
Born in Austria, Manfred Honeck received his musical training at the Academy of Music in Vienna. Many years of experience as a member of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna Staatsoper Orchestra have given his conducting its distinctive stamp. After beginning his career as assistant to Claudio Abbado, he was engaged by the Zurich Opera House, where he was bestowed the prestigious European Conductor’s Award. Following early posts at MDR Symphony Orchestra in Leipzig and the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, he served as music director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Stockholm and as music director of the Stuttgart Staatsoper.
As a guest conductor Honeck has worked with the world’s leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Accademia di Santa Cecilia Rome, and the Vienna Philharmonic, and is a regular guest with all of the major American orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic. His guest engagements at opera companies include Semperoper Dresden, Royal Opera of Copenhagen, Theater an der Wien, and the Salzburg Festival.
Manfred Honeck holds honorary doctorates from several North American universities and was awarded the honorary title of Professor by the Austrian Federal President. An international jury of critics selected him as the International Classical Music Awards “Artist of the Year” 2018.