Michael Francis opened his first season as Chief Conductor of the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz in Ludwigshafen (Germany) with a two-week festival celebrating the music of the 1920s: “Modern Times” features music by Varèse, Satie, and Stravinsky, as well as the eponymous film by Charlie Chaplin with a live soundtrack.

On Wednesday, in Michael Francis’ first concert as chief conductor, he conducted the chamber arrangement of Mahler’s 4th Symphony; he returns with Varèse’s Ameriques and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella on September 20.

In addition to his new position in Ludwigshafen, Michael Francis is the Music Director of the Florida Orchestra and the Music and Artistic Director of the San Diego Mainly Mozart Festival.