Orchestre National de Cannes Extends Music Director Contract

Conductor Benjamin Levy will continue his role with the orchestra until the 2025/26 concert season

Benjamin Levy was first appointed as music director of the Orchestre National de Cannes in November 2016. His contract with the orchestra has now been extended until the end of the 2025/26 season.

The founder of the Orchestre de Chambre Pelléas, Levy has made guest appearances with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lyon, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Nederlandse Reisopera, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Radio Filharmonisch Orkest, Radio Kamer Filharmonie, and the Icelandic Opera, among others. 

His recent concert engagements have included the Philharmonie Südwestfalen, Kraków Philharmonic, Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá, and Polska Filharmonia Bałtycka. He has also recorded projects with the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and Orchestre de Picardie.

A graduate of the Conservatoires Supérieurs de Musique et de Danse of Lyon and Paris, he also studied at the American Academy of Conducting with David Zinman, and at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena. He later worked as an assistant to Marc Minkowski and was the assistant conductor of both Dutch Radio orchestras for two seasons.

Among his accolades include the 2005 Musical Discovery of the Year by the Syndicat de la Critique Dramatique et Musicale (French Critics’ Circle) and the Conductor prize of the ADAMI Young Talent in 2008.

“For nearly a decade, Benjamin Levy has helped modernize the Orchestra's image and promote the city of Cannes and the SUD Region beyond its borders,” Orchestre National de Cannes wrote in the press release. “This renewal will allow the Orchestra to celebrate its 50th anniversary with Benjamin Levy throughout its anniversary season. 

“Appointed in November 2016 as musical director of the Orchestre Régional de Cannes Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, he contributed, thanks to his inventiveness and his great knowledge of the repertoire, to the discovery of transversal projects and new talents, to his pedagogy and his kindness to transmit his love of music to young and old, to his charm and his humor to seduce the public of the Côte d'Azur basin,” they added. “His investment and his work, in harmony with the musicians, contributed to the Orchestra obtaining the label ‘Orchestre national en région’ in January 2022.”