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Ward Stare signs 3-year contract renewal with the RPO

Suzy Gorman/RPO

The music director and conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra will be around for a while longer.

The RPO announced on Monday that Ward Stare has renewed his contract for three more years, through the end of the 2020/21 season.

The 35 year old Rochester native became the RPO’s youngest-ever music director in 2014.

“I’m very proud of what we have accomplished together in a little over three years,” says Stare. “Our staff, administration, donors, orchestra, and patrons all share in our success and I am grateful to have such a wonderful group of colleagues.  I believe the future is bright for the RPO and I’m very pleased that the board has extended my contract so that together we can continue our mission of enriching our beloved community with the gift of live symphonic music!”

“I am very pleased that Ward will continue to mold our excellent Orchestra with his artistic vision,” states RPO President & CEO Curt Long. “He is a talented, hardworking and charismatic music director, and it’s no coincidence that the recent successes of the RPO began with his leadership in our 2014/15 season.”

“Ward’s contract renewal represents a wonderful holiday gift to our Orchestra, our audiences, and our community,” says RPO Board Chairperson Ingrid Stanlis. “I cannot wait to see how he builds on his successes to date, especially as we look forward to the RPO’s 100th anniversary.” 

The contract renewal announcement was made just as Stare heads off to New York City to make his Metropolitan Opera conducting debut.

He will conduct all nine performances the Met’s The Merry Widow with Grammy-winning mezzo soprano Susan Graham in the title role, December 14 – January 11, 2018.

He’ll return to Rochester just in time to lead his fourth-annual, free Season Preview Concert on Tuesday, January 30th in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.