2008 in classical music
Events
- January 1 – Julia Fischer makes her début as a concert pianist, performing Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie at the Alte Oper, Frankfurt. The concert was conducted by Matthias Pintscher, who replaced Sir Neville Marriner. On the same occasion she also performed the Violin Concerto no. 3 in B minor by Camille Saint-Saëns.
- January 5 – The Salzburg Festival launches the "Herbert von Karajan Jubilee Year" with a concert in Salzburg's Grosses Festspielhaus.
- April 22 – Andrey Baranov of Russia wins First Prize in the Second Benjamin Britten International Violin Competition in London.
- November 1–9 – The Southbank Centre in London, UK, presents "Klang: A Tribute to Stockhausen", a festival curated by Oliver Knussen, with a series of concerts focusing on works from the composer's last decade, including the world premieres of Urantia and Zodiac for Orchestra, as well as late-night performances, lectures, and master classes.
- November 6 – Michael Tilson Thomas makes his Philadelphia Orchestra subscription-concert conducting debut.
- November 17 – Korean violinist Hyun-Su Shin wins First Prize in the Jacques Thibaud International Violin Competition in Paris
- November 24 – The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra announces the appointment of Pinchas Zukerman as principal guest conductor, to begin in January 2009.
- December 4 – Elliott Carter's Interventions for Piano and Orchestra receives its premiere at Symphony Hall, Boston, United States, with Daniel Barenboim as the soloist.
- unknown date – The Annex String Quartet is formed in Toronto, Canada.
New works
The following composers' works were composed, premiered, or published this year, as noted in the citation.
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- Lorenzo Ferrero
- * Freedom Variations, for trumpet and chamber ensemble
- * 2 Agosto. Prima variazione, for organ and orchestra
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- Anno Schreier – Berceuse for violin, clarinet, alto-saxophone and piano
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Opera premieres
Operas which premiered in 2008 include:
Albums
Musical films
Deaths
- January 13 – Sergejus Larinas, 51, Russian tenor
- January 25 – Evelyn Barbirolli, 97, British oboist
- February 10 – Inga Nielsen, 61, Danish soprano
- February 21 – Neil Chotem, 87, Canadian conductor and composer
- February 27 – Ivan Rebroff, 76, German singer of traditional Russian music
- March 3 – Giuseppe Di Stefano, 86, Italian tenor
- March 4 – Leonard Rosenman, 83, American composer
- March 10 – Dennis Irwin, 56, American double-bass player
- March 12 – Alun Hoddinott, 78, Welsh composer
- April 24 – Tristram Cary, 82, British composer
- April 26 – Henry Brant, 94, American composer
- April 27 – Frances Yeend, 95, American soprano
- May 15 – Alexander Courage, 88, American composer
- May 17 – Wilfrid Mellers, 94, British musicologist and composer
- May 21 – Siegmund Nissel, 86, Austrian violinist
- June 16 – Margaret Kitchin, 94, Swiss pianist
- June 19 – Antonio Bibalo, 86. Italian-born pianist and composer
- June 27 – Leonard Pennario, 83, American pianist
- July 18
- * Tauno Marttinen, 95, Finnish composer
- * Dennis Townhill, 83, British organist and composer
- July 24 – Norman Dello Joio, 95, American composer
- July 27 – Horst Stein, 80, German conductor
- August 3 – Louis Teicher, 83, American pianist
- August 4 – Nicola Rescigno, 92, Italian American conductor
- August 10 – Alexander Slobodyanik, 66, Ukrainian pianist
- August 12 – Donald Erb, 81, American composer
- August 25 – Pehr Henrik Nordgren, 64, Finnish composer
- September 7 – Peter Glossop, 80, British opera singer
- September 10 – Vernon Handley, 77, British conductor
- September 16 – Andrei Volkonsky, 75, Russian composer, conductor and harpsichordist
- September 25 – Horațiu Rădulescu, 66, Romanian composer
- September 26
- * Bernadette Greevy, 68, Irish mezzo-soprano
- * Yonty Solomon, 71, South African pianist
- November 4 – Alan Hazeldine, 60, Scottish conductor and pianist
- November 23 – Richard Hickox, 60, British conductor
- November 26 – Pekka Pohjola, 56, Finnish composer
- December 27 – Roque Cordero, 91, Panamanian composer
Major awards
Classical Brits
Source:
Grammy Awards