GMJO

HENRY KENNEDY APPOINTED ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR OF THE GMJO

© Curtis Perry
© Curtis Perry

Henry Kennedy has recently been appointed Assistant Conductor of the GUSTAV MAHLER JUGENDORCHESTER. He starts with the Sommer Tour 2026 and conducts concerts of the GMJO during the residency in Pordenone and the FVG region.


In this position, he follows Christian Blex, winner of the 2025 Herbert von Karajan Young Conductors Award of the Salzburg Festival. Previous Assistant Conductors of the GMJO include Franz Welser-Möst, Manfred Honeck, Patrick Lange, David Afkham, Leo Mc Fall, and Lorenzo Viotti.


Henry Kennedy is enthusiastic about his future collaboration with the GMJO: "I am delighted and deeply honoured to have been appointed Assistant Conductor of the GUSTAV MAHLER JUGENDORCHESTER, an orchestra whose artistic legacy is among the most distinguished in Europe. I am very grateful for the trust placed in me, and I am greatly looking forward to working with its exceptional young musicians, the artistic team, and the distinguished conductors who shape the GMJO. I am particularly excited that my first concerts with the GMJO will take place in Pordenone this August, where the programme will include premieres of works by Elgar and Wagner".


Alexander Meraviglia-Crivelli, GMJO Artistic and Executive Director: "It is wonderful to have Henry Kennedy as Assistant Conductor of the GUSTAV MAHLER JUGENDORCHESTER. I have been following his artistic path with great interest for several years, and I am convinced that the artistic collaboration with Henry Kennedy will be enriching and a pure joy for both partners."