Today, David Slosburg, Chair of the Omaha Symphony Board of Directors and David Diamond, Chair of the Music Director Search Committee announced that conductor Ankush Kumar Bahl has been appointed the next Music Director of the Omaha Symphony effective at the beginning of the 2021-2022 season.

Read the full statement here.

“As music director designate, Maestro Bahl brings so much to the table,” said Slosburg. “The committee saw a host of incredible conductors during the course of our search, but Bahl’s connection with musicians and audiences, engaging presence, and inspiring leadership made our choice a clear one.”

Bahl first appeared with the Omaha Symphony on October 18 and 19, 2019, conducting a program that included Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” Chopin’s “Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante” and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 9. He was selected through a three-year music director search process led by a fifteen-member committee comprised of Omaha Symphony board members, community leaders, and musicians.

“I am excited that Maestro Bahl has decided to join us,” said Diamond. “I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved on the search committee, as they’ve spent the past three years meeting regularly to identify the right artistic leadership for the orchestra’s next chapter. They have done a fantastic job in not only finding a great musician, but a wonderfully collaborative leader that will see us into our next century.”

“I am truly honored to become the next music director of the Omaha Symphony,” said Bahl. “When I first worked with the ensemble, it was clear to me that this is a great American orchestra, composed of top-tier musicians. I was equally impressed with their generous spirit, work ethic, and flexibility. I felt a special connection between us and sensed a mutual adoration that made me excited about the prospect of becoming a part of this wonderful organization. Similarly, while getting to know the administration, board, and members of the community, I was impressed by the organization's leadership and inspired by how committed the city of Omaha is to its Symphony.

"I want to thank the search committee, board, administration, and the orchestra for entrusting me with the artistic leadership of the Omaha Symphony. I look forward to being a part of the Omaha community and simply cannot wait to get started!" Omaha Symphony President & CEO Jennifer Boomgaarden is confident that Bahl will build on the incredible legacy of excellence left by Music Director Thomas Wilkins.

All are invited to tune in to KVNO for a special edition of “In Concert with the Omaha Symphony” at 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 28, 2020. The program will feature a re-broadcast of Maestro Bahl’s performance with the Omaha Symphony from October 18, 2019. Bahl will join KVNO host Ben Rasmussen in conversation between pieces.

Read Ankush Kumar Bahl's biography here.