The esteemed conductor will lead the Omaha Symphony’s orchestra and artistic team during its search for a new Music Director
OMAHA, Neb., 1/22/2025 – Renowned conductor and Music Director of the Buffalo
Philharmonic JoAnn Falletta is joining the Omaha Symphony as Principal Guest Conductor
and Artistic Advisor, beginning in the 2025/26 Season. In this role, Maestro Falletta will work
with the Omaha Symphony to ensure the orchestra’s artistic vitality during its music director
transition. She will fill this role as the Omaha Symphony undertakes a search for their next
music director as Maestro Ankush Kumar Bahl steps down as Music Director and transitions to
his role as Artistic Partner at the conclusion of the 2024/25 Season.
“JoAnn Falletta is a brilliant conductor and legendary leader, and the Omaha Symphony is
honored to partner with her,” said Omaha Symphony President and CEO Jennifer
Boomgaarden Daoud. “In her past visits here as guest conductor, most recently in 2021, the
chemistry between Maestro Falletta and the orchestra was dynamic, and we are excited that
she will join with us in such a significant role. She brings a wealth of talent and experience to
our organization, and we are confident she will lead us into a powerful new era as we search
for the Omaha Symphony’s next music director.”
In addition to having a recurring presence on the podium, Falletta will assist with developing
vibrant programming, recommend guest conductors and guest artists, and help the orchestra
maintain a strong, consistent artistic profile.
“I am very excited to begin my work with the Omaha Symphony and lead a treasured
institution into the future,” Maestro Falletta said. “I have beautiful memories from past work
with this organization, and I hope to continue its legacy of providing innovative and
groundbreaking orchestral experiences while maintaining the excellent tradition of classical
repertoire.”
Maestro Bahl continues to lead the orchestra through the 2024/25 Season. He will conduct
several more performances this season including Holst’s The Planets and Shostakovich 5, among
others. In addition, he will continue to conduct concerts and will also serve as Artistic Partner
in 2025/26.
Maestro Falletta will take the podium for the first time in autumn 2025 for Tchaikovsky’s
towering and spectacular Fifth Symphony. The full 2025/26 Omaha Symphony season will be
announced in February, featuring a diverse selection of classical powerhouses in the
Masterworks series as well as movie concerts and exhilarating performancesof popular hits in
the LIVE with the Omaha Symphony series.
About JoAnn Falletta
Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning conductor JoAnn Falletta serves as Music Director of the
Buffalo Philharmonic, Music Director Laureate of the Virginia Symphony, Principal Guest
Conductor of the Brevard Music Center, and Conductor Laureate of the Hawaii Symphony. She
was named one of the 50 great conductors of all time by Gramophone Magazine and ASCAP has
honored her as “a leading force for music of our time.”
As Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, Falletta became the first woman to lead a major
American orchestra. She has guest-conducted over a hundred orchestras in North America,
and many of the most prominent orchestras in Europe, Asia, and South America. She is a
leading recording artist for Naxos, and has won two individual GRAMMY Awards, for Richard
Danielpour’s The Passion of Yeshua with the BPO and Spiritualist by Kenneth Fuchs with the
London Symphony. Her Naxos recording of John Corigliano’s Mr. Tambourine Man with the
BPO received two GRAMMYs. Her Scriabin recording with the BPO is nominated for a 2024
GRAMMY for Best Orchestral Performance.
Falletta is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has served by
Presidential appointment as a Member of the National Council on the Arts. She has conducted
over 1,600 orchestral works by more than 600 composers, including over 135 works by women
composers, and over 150 premieres.
After earning her bachelor’s degree at Mannes, Falletta received master’s and doctoral degrees
from The Juilliard School.
For more information, visit www.joannfalletta.com.
About the Omaha Symphony
The Omaha Symphony is a non-profit organization that serves over 250,000 people annually
through more than 230 live orchestral performances and digital initiatives. In addition to
Masterworks, Symphony Joslyn, Family, and LIVE with the Omaha Symphony concert series,
the Omaha Symphony’s nationally recognized education and community engagement
programs touch the lives of more than 40,000 people and over 300 schools each year. We are
focused on creating a welcoming space and nurturing connections to ensure the Omaha
community experiences and participates in music in a way that serves, reflects, uplifts, and
entertains.