Manfred Honeck

Over the last quarter century, Manfred Honeck has firmly established himself as one
of 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 Orchestra, celebrated in Pittsburgh
and abroad. Together, they have continued a legacy of music-making that includes
several Grammy nominations and a 2018 Grammy Award for Best Orchestral
Performance. Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra serve as
cultural ambassadors for the city as one of the most frequently toured American
orchestras.
Born in Austria, Manfred Honeck received his musical training at the Academy of
Music in Vienna. Many years of experience as a member of the Vienna Philharmonic
and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra have given his conducting a distinctive
stamp. He began his career as assistant to Claudio Abbado and was subsequently
engaged by the Zurich Opera House, where he was bestowed the prestigious
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 to 2011, Manfred Honeck was Music Director of the Staatsoper Stuttgart.
As a guest conductor Manfred Honeck has worked with the world’s leading
orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony
Orchestra, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Staatskapelle Dresden, London
Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Accademia di Santa Cecilia Rome, and the
Vienna Philharmonic, and is a regular guest with all of the major American
orchestras. Operatic guest appearances include Semperoper Dresden, Royal Opera
of Copenhagen and the Salzburg Festival.
Manfred Honeck holds honorary doctorates from several North American
universities and was awarded the honorary title of Professor by the Austrian Federal
President. An international jury of critics selected him as the International Classical
Music Awards “Artist of the Year” 2018.

11/2021