Due to his extremely demanding tour schedule – comprising seven concerts in five countries within two weeks – Sir John Eliot Gardiner has asked the Musikfest Bremen to release him from his engagement on 28 August. The young British conductor Finan Jones, Gardiner’s assistant, will take over the baton for the scheduled programme (Johannes Brahms’ „Schicksalslied“ and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, „Lobgesang“). Tickets already purchased remain valid.

Artistic Director Professor Thomas Albert commented: „ I am pleased with this solution, as it ensures that one of the programmes that I consider to be most beautiful from a dramaturgical perspective at this year’s Musikfest – featuring the Constellation Choir & Orchestra in their Bremen debut – can be enjoyed by many eager listeners.”

In addition to his training with Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Finan Jones has served as assistant to other renowned conductors such as Vasily Petrenko, Stéphane Denève and Aziz Shokhakimov As well as conducting the Constellation Choir & Orchestra, he has also worked with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, and the string ensemble of the London Symphony Orchestra, among others. Since the start of the 2024 season, he has been assistant conductor with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, working closely with principal conductor Nathalie Stutzmann.

Press enquiries:
Musikfest Bremen gGmbH, Carsten Preisler,
Tel. +49 421/33 66-660, email: preisler@musikfest-bremen.de