Contract Extension Takes Maestro Through 2032-2033 Season
By SHARON EBERSON
Manfred Honeck will become the longest-serving Music Director in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s 131-year history, after signing a contract extension that takes his tenure to 25 years, through the 2032-2033 season.
At a signing ceremony at Heinz Hall on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Mayor Corey O’Connor declared that it was Manfred Honeck Day in the City of Pittsburgh, as PSO leaders listed Honeck’s accomplishments — including earning 12 Grammy Award nominations and three wins — to illustrate that the extension provides long-term artistic continuity, at a time of international recognition for the orchestra.
Honeck, who began his tenure with the PSO at the start of the 2008-2009 season, will surpass the tenure of William Steinberg, who led the orchestra for 24 years (1952-1976).
Standing at the foot of the staircase where he was introduced in 2007, Honeck recalled, that, “It was a moment full of excitement and joy. Now I have less hair, but the joy remains the same. Today the orchestra, is a different one. There are so many wonderful young musicians. Almost half of the orchestra was hired during the past 18 years. They all became part of a living history, and I’m very happy that we still have a strong group of musicians who played under Maestro Lorin Maazel and Maestro Mariss Jansons.”
Like PSO president and CEO Melia Tourangeau, concertmaster David McCarroll and Board Chair Tony Bucci, Honeck proudly pointed to accomplishments up to this point, and added what “I love most about this orchestra”:
“It sounds warm and precise, and its dynamic range is impressive. There is so much passion. ‘The Pittsburgh Symphony sounds like an orchestra should sound,’ as the New York Times wrote after our return to Carnegie Hall last December. It is truly one of the best orchestras in the world, and I know because I stand in front of the others, too,” Honeck said.
While extolling the “incredible partnership” between the Music Director and PSO, Tourangeau said, “Mandred, we are grateful for your artistry, your devotion to this orchestra and the Pittsburgh community, and your belief in what the Pittsburgh Symphony can be. You’ve made this orchestra your artistic home and in doing so, you’ve made a lasting mark on the history of this orchestra and our city. This partnership remains vital and vibrant, which is why we’re so excited to bring it to 25 years.”
Tourangeau noted that the average tenure of a Music Director is around seven years, making this extension “truly rare.”
“It speaks to trust and to ambition, and we are ambitious,” she said. “We are renewing today because we continue to grow, continue to challenge ourselves and continue to produce remarkable results.
Board Chair Bucci said, “I am very proud of the cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s cultural life that this symphony has become under Manfred. If there is one thing Pittsburgh needs, it’s a team to be proud of, and Pittsburgh should be proud of this team. The renewal today gives our symphony the continuity and excellence at the highest level. It allows us to build on the existing organization and momentum with stability and faith in the people leading the charge.”
“His dedication to our orchestra’s excellence yields palpable results,” added concertmaster McCarroll. “Our top tier soloists and guest conductors place the PSO on a short list of orchestras they most enjoy collaborating with. Our recordings with Maestro Honeck have won international recognition, critical acclaim, and Grammy Awards. We will once again be the only American orchestra to play at the prestigious Salzburg Festival during the biennial European tour this summer, and we are regularly reinvited to perform at all of the top European halls and festivals. Our performances are delivered by the vessel Maestro Honeck has molded, having hired nearly half of the musicians in the orchestra, and our interpretations are sculpted by his artistic vision.”
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