Karina Canellakis Withdraws from New York and Philadelphia Appearances

The American conductor is expecting her second child!

American conductor Karina Canellakis has withdrawn from concert appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic next month, as she is expecting her second child in May.

In Philadelphia, she will be replaced by the Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä, and in New York, Jonathon Heyward will step in to make his New York Philharmonic debut.

Born and raised in New York City, Karina Canellakis began her music career as a violinist. She pursued conducting at the encouragement of Simon Rattle, while she was playing in the academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker.

Canellakis was the recipient of the Georg Solti Conducting Prize in 2016 and has subsequently appeared with many of the major orchestras — including the Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

She is presently the Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Principal Guest Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Principal Guest Conductor of the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin.

Canellakis recently announced the April 28 release of her first album, a recording of Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. The disc is the first in a multi-album deal on the Pentatone label.

We at The Violin Channel wish Canellakis and her family all the best at this exciting time!