Stefan Blunier: New general music director brings a breath of fresh air to Duisburg!

Stefan Blunier: New general music director brings a breath of fresh air to Duisburg!

In a festive ceremony in the Duisburg town hall on September 6, 2025, Stefan Blunier signed his contract as the new general music director (GMD) of the Duisburg Philharmonic. In attendance were Mayor Sören Link, Head of Cultural Affairs Linda Wagner and Director Nils Szczepanski, all of whom praised Blunier's choice and described his introduction as an important step for the orchestra's artistic future. Link speaks of Blunier as an “experienced and inspiring GMD”, while Wagner emphasizes the collaborative process of selecting Blunier.

Blunier will take on his responsible role for a period of three years from the 2026/27 season. But before that happens, he will make several appearances with the Duisburg Philharmonic in the coming 2025/26 season, including in the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie and at New Year's concerts, in which Beethoven's 9th Symphony will be heard. Other planned highlights include concert performances of Bruckner's 7th Symphony, which many music lovers in the Duisburg area are expecting.

New musical accents

Stefan Blunier has big plans for his time in Duisburg. He has already announced a Bruckner cycle and a new concert series in various musical genres. The aim is not only to offer the music experience, but also to make it tangible. Blunier wants to integrate dramaturgical surprise effects into concerts in order to playfully comment on the important works and thereby make the listening experience more sensual and stimulating. He also plans to commission more compositions and to actively dedicate himself to the variety of new music.

These innovative approaches are a sign that Blunier knows how to keep an orchestra alive in today's world. His impressive background supports him in this: he has not only worked as general music director in cities such as Darmstadt and Bonn, but has also conducted on international stages in over 100 symphony orchestras in Europe and Asia. His remarkable range of experience also extends to important opera houses in cities such as London, Munich, Hamburg and Stuttgart.

The role of the general music director

The title of general music director is not only a highlight on your CV, but also a responsible position. Historically, the general music director is the artistic director of an orchestra or choir, a position highly valued in German and Austrian musical life. Blunier's predecessors were all outstanding figures in the music scene, and with his election he now joins this illustrious series. Registration processes that lead to the selection of general music directors are often extensive and require the consent of several instances, which is ultimately due to the unanimous decision of the selection committee in Blunier's case.

An exciting chapter begins for the Duisburg Philharmonic under the direction of Stefan Blunier, whose achievements are respected not only in Germany but also internationally. The coming period will show how his visionary ideas will enrich Duisburg's musical landscape.