Biography

Over the last quarter-century, Manfred Honeck has established himself among the world’s leading conductors, renowned for his distinctive interpretations and arrangements of a wide range of repertoire. For more than a decade he has served as music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony, celebrated in Pittsburgh and abroad. Together they have continued a legacy that includes several Grammy nominations and a 2018 Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance. With a remarkably busy tour schedule, Mr. Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra serve as cultural ambassadors for the city.

Born in Austria, Mr. Honeck received his musical training at the Academy of Music in Vienna. His many years of experience as a member of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra inform his conducting style. He began his career as assistant to Claudio Abbado and was subsequently engaged by the Zurich Opera House, where he was honored with the European Conductor’s Award. Following early posts at MDR Symphony Orchestra in Leipzig and the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, he was appointed music director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Stockholm. For several years, he also served as principal guest conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. From 2007–11 he was music director of the Staatsoper Stuttgart.

As a guest conductor Mr. Honeck has worked with the world’s leading ensembles, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Dresden Staatskapelle, London Symphony, Orchestre de Paris, Accademia di Santa Cecilia Rome, and Vienna Philharmonic. Operatic guest appearances include Semperoper Dresden, Royal Opera of Copenhagen, and the Salzburg Festival. He made his San Francisco Symphony debut in May 2017.

Mr. Honeck holds honorary doctorates from several North American universities and was awarded the honorary title of professor by the Federal President of the Republic of Austria. An international jury of critics selected him as the International Classical Music Awards artist of the year in 2018.

June 2023