After 38 years at its helm and an exceedingly positive record, including numerous successful international tours (Japan, United States, Germany, Austria [4 times in Vienna], Brazil, China, etc.) and a discography acclaimed by critics, Philippe Bender left the Orchestre Régional de Cannes Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur, honored with a Victoire d’Honneur de la Musique and decorated with the insignia of Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur.
The Austrian conductor Wolfgang Doerner has been chosen to succeed him. Wolfgang Doerner is well known to the Parisian public as he has been the Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestre Pasdeloup for nearly 20 years.
Born in Vienna, where he studied conducting at the Hochschule für Musik, Wolfgang Doerner participated in master classes with Sir Charles Mackerras, Rolf Reuter, and Franco Ferrara. In 1984, he won the first prize at the 34th International Conducting Competition in Besançon and commenced an international conducting career. Notably, he has been the music director of the Lübeck Opera (Germany) and assistant to Lorin Maazel (Orchestre National de France – Paris).
Starting in the 2013/2014 season, he will lead several concerts of the Orchestre Régional de Cannes Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur and, with the Orchestre Symphonique Pasdeloup, will pay tribute to France Clidat at the Théâtre du Châtelet in March 2014 with the participation of Anne Queffélec.
