WDR Sinfonieorchester Announces Artistic Partner for 2025/2026 Season

Currently the ensemble's Chief Conductor, Cristian Măcelaru will continue his partnership in the new role

Cristian Măcelaru started as the Chief Conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester in the 2019/20 season. Within this tenure, Măcelaru and the WDR Sinfonieorchester performed concerts at the BBC Proms, the George Enescu Festival in Bucharest, the Elbphilharmonie at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, in addition to recorded works by Bela Bartók and Antonin Dvořák.

After two contract periods as principal conductor, the Romanian-born conductor will remain closely associated with the WDR Sinfonieorchester as Artistic Partner in the 2025/26 season. This will include three concert programs in Cologne and North Rhine-Westphalia, touring and productions.

Born in Timișoara, Romania, GRAMMY Award-winning conductor Măcelaru began his career as a violinist. At the age of 19 he became the youngest-ever concertmaster of the Miami Symphony Orchestra.

His break into the conducting world came in 2012 when he filled in for Pierre Boulez at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra — and later that year he won the Solti Emerging Conductor Award. Since then he has worked with many of the major American orchestras.

He is currently the Artistic Director of the George Enescu Festival and Competition, Music Director of the Orchestre National de France, and

Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Interlochen Center for the Arts’ World Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Music Director and Conductor of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music.

"We are delighted that we will be able to work with this globally successful conductor and passionate ambassador for classical music on the podium of the WDR Sinfonieorchester beyond the term of his contract," said WDR Director-General Tom Buhrow. "The musicians of the WDR Sinfonierochester have continued to excel in their commitment and deep understanding of the wide variety of music we have performed together,” said Cristian Măcelaru. “I am truly fortunate to continue our strong and enriching relationship in this new capacity as artistic partner. The work we did stands as a testament to our mutual respect and appreciation."