A New Post For Dr Nicholas Milton

Congratulations to Dr. Nicholas Milton AM, Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, who has been appointed as the new Chief Conductor and General Music Director of the State Opera House in Klagenfurt, Austria, and Chief Conductor of the Kärntner Symphonieorchester (Carinthian Symphony Orchestra), from the 2021/22 season. Dr Milton’s first major production in Klagenfurt will see him open a brand new production of the Ring Cycle, commencing with Die Walküre (The Valkyries).

Dr. Nicholas Milton also currently serves as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra in Germany. In Sydney, he proudly continues his tenure as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, a position he has held since 2000.

Previously, Dr Milton was General Music Director and Chief Conductor of the State Opera House in Saarbrücken, Germany (2014 – 2018). Recent guest engagements have seen him conduct at the Deutsche Oper and Komische Oper (Berlin), Volksoper (Vienna), and around Europe and Asia. In Sydney he has conducted Tosca, La Bohème, and Madama Butterfly for Opera Australia. In the current season, he returns to the Deutsche Oper Berlin to conduct Tosca and Don Giovanni.

The only Australian conductor to be nominated for a GRAMMY® award, he is the youngest-ever concertmaster of a major Australian orchestra. Dr Milton enjoyed a distinguished career as a violinist and chamber musician before dedicating himself exclusively to conducting. He was Concertmaster of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and performed for eight years as violinist with the Macquarie Trio. In 2020 he concluded a 15 year tenure as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.

Nicholas Milton’s discography includes over 60 CD recordings. His 2016 GRAMMY® Award nomination was in the category, Best Classical Instrumental Solo, for his recording with Joseph Moog of Piano Concertos by Grieg and Moszkowski. With the Konzerthausorchester Berlin he has recorded a series of CDs devoted to exiled Jewish composers. As chamber musician, he recorded  award-winning CDs with the Macquarie Trio as well as the complete Haydn String Quartets for the Music Minus One label. Forthcoming orchestral recordings with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin and the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern are scheduled for release on the Onyx, CPO and Naxos labels.