New Conductor for Wichita Symphony

The Wichita Business Journal reports the Wichita Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday named Daniel Hege its new music director and conductor.

Hege, who is serving as music director for the Syracuse, New York, Symphony Orchestra, will take over the Wichita job for the start of the 2010-2011 concert season. He will replace Andrew Sewell, who is resigning his position following the completion of the 2009-2010 season.

A nine-member search committee was appointed to find Sewell’s replacement. Hege will be the seventh music director in WSO’s 67-year history.

The new gig will be a homecoming for Hege, who graduated from Bethel College in North Newton.

Hege, 43, has twice conducted the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, and will again Nov. 14-15 when he conducts classics concerts with pianist Christopher Taylor. Hege said he looks forward to the opportunity to lead the WSO on a full-time basis.

In addition to his work with the Syracuse Symphony, Hege has worked with symphonies in Baltimore,; Haddonfield, New Jersey; Kansas City; Chicago; and Los Angeles. Hege served as music director for the Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra in Newton from 1993 to 2003.