Orchestra of St. Luke’s & MILOŠ, guitar

MILOŠ is one of the world’s most celebrated classical guitarists. His career began its meteoric rise in 2011, with the release of his international best-selling Deutsche Grammophon debut album Mediterraneo. Since then, he has earned legions of fans, awards, and acclaim around the world through his extensive touring, six chart-topping recordings, and television appearances. 

Now exclusive to SONY Classical, MILOŠ is committed to expanding the repertoire for the classical guitar. His new album, simply entitled Baroque, was released in October 2023 and presents a carefully curated selection of baroque works especially transcribed and arranged for the guitar, both solo and in collaboration with Jonathan Cohen and his ensemble Arcangelo. Equally passionate about new music, MILOŠ’ recent release, The Moon and the Forest, features two world premiere concerti, by Howard Shore and Joby Talbot. 

Over the past decade, the guitar’s popularity has exploded thanks to MILOŠ’ pioneering approach. Aspiring guitarists can even learn from him through Schott’s Play Guitar with Miloš series. In 2016 BBC Music Magazine included him in their list of Six of the Best Classical Guitarists of the past century. 

MILOŠ has appeared as a soloist with some of the world’s greatest orchestras: London and LA Philharmonics, Atlanta Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Orquesta Nacional de España, Santa Cecilia Rome, and NHK Tokyo. His first sold-out solo recital in the round of the Royal Albert Hall was lauded by the critics. He returned to the hall post-pandemic in June 2022 to a full-capacity audience. 

Other recent and forthcoming highlights include debuts with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony and Alain Altinoglu for the annual Europe Open Air concert, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France,  Korean National Symphony; return performances with the Atlanta and Detroit Symphonies, Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal, Hallé Orchestra, Graz and London Philharmonics; extensive tours across the U.K., U.S., and Australia, as well as recitals in Munich, London, Hong Kong, and the Verbier, Gstaad, and Schleswig Holstein Music Festivals. 

A passionate advocate for music education, MILOŠ is an active patron of numerous charities supporting young musicians in the U.K. and abroad. He recently launched the Miloš Karadaglić Foundation; based in Porto Montenegro, this philanthropic organization aims to act as a regional hub of influence by empowering artistic excellence though various educational opportunities, partnerships, and close mentorship. 

Born in Montenegro in 1983, MILOŠ moved to London to study at the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 17. He continues to live and work in London, while keeping close ties to his homeland. He performs on a 2017 Greg Smallman guitar. 

To learn more about MILOŠ, please visit his website. 

2023–24 will mark Zhang’s eighth season as Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, who celebrated their centennial last season. Zhang also holds the positions of Principal Guest Conductor of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Emeritus of Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano, having previously held the position of Music Director between 2009–2016. 

In high demand as a guest conductor, Zhang juggles an exceptionally busy diary of guest engagements alongside her titled commitments. Throughout 2023-24, she conducts Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Anthony Minghella’s acclaimed production features a starry cast with Aleksandra Kurzak, Eleanora Buratto, and Asmik Grigorian sharing the role of Cio-Cio-San, and Matthew Polezani as Pinkerton. 

Following a busy summer 2023 season which saw her conducting Boston Symphony at Tanglewood, Zhang’s upcoming symphonic highlights include returns to the Philadelphia Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, Houston Symphony, Orchestra of St Luke’s, and National Symphony Orchestra DC. Zhang remains a popular guest of London Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Montreal Symphony, Toronto Symphony, NAC Ottawa, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Belgian National Orchestra, and Norwegian Opera where she returned last season for Puccini’s Tosca. 

Letters for The Future (released 2022), Zhang’s recording on Deutsche Grammophon with Philadelphia Orchestra and Time for Three, won multiple Grammy awards in both the Best Contemporary Classical Composition (Kevin Puts’ Contact) and Best Classical Instrumental Solo categories. 

Zhang previously served as Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra & Chorus of Wales, the first female conductor to hold a titled role with a BBC orchestra. In 2002, she won first prize in the Maazel-Vilar Conductor’s Competition. She was appointed the New York Philharmonic’s Assistant Conductor in 2002, then Associate Conductor and the first holder of the Arturo Toscanini Chair. 

To learn more about Xian Zhang, please follow her @moxianzhang. 

Orchestra of St. Luke’s (OSL) performs and produces in a variety of formats throughout New York City, including orchestral and chamber music series on each of Carnegie Hall’s iconic stages, programs focused on contemporary composers presented throughout the five boroughs, collaborations with Paul Taylor Dance Company at Lincoln Center, a composition institute, and much more. Many of OSL’s performances are presented for free through its education and community engagement programs, reaching over 12,000 students and families annually with accessible, interactive student concerts, a thriving youth orchestra, and mentorship programs for emerging players. OSL built and operates The DiMenna Center in midtown Manhattan — the city’s only rehearsal, recording, and performance space built specially for classical music — where it hosts thousands of musicians and audience members year-round.

For more information and where they are playing next, please visit their website.