They’re changing guard at our two major orchestras; the Melbourne Symphony and the Sydney Symphony. A couple of months ago the SSO announced Simone Young would become Chief Conductor in 2022; more recently the MSO has announced Jaime Martín as Chief Conductor from 2022.

Jaime Martín is no stranger to the MSO having first been a guest conductor in 2019. Like Simone Young, Martín has a busy international career, if rather less glamorous than Young’s. He is Chief Conductor of Ireland’s RTE National Symphony and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, previously held by Sir Neville Marriner.

Indeed, Jaime Martín has a number of links with Sir Neville.  Before becoming a conductor in 2013, Martín enjoyed a distinguished career as a flautist holding posts as principal flute with a number of orchestras including the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the hugely successful chamber orchestra founded by Sir Neville. He and Marriner recorded a number of flute concertos together.

Melbourne concertgoers who are unfamiliar with Martín’s conducting will have the opportunity to hear his work with the MSO in Hamer Hall on August 20 & 21, the program featuring Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite.

Here’s hoping both orchestras are allowed to give concerts next year.