Freeman stepping down in Chicago

Paul Freeman, the Richmond-born conductor who founded the Chicago Sinfonietta in 1987, is relinquishing direction of the orchestra and will become its music director emeritus once a successor is chosen. The orchestra hopes to name a replacement in time for the 2011-12 season, Andrew Patner reports in the Chicago Sun-Times:

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/1487681,chicago-sinfonietta-freeman-032009.article

The 73-year-old Freeman also is chief conductor of the Czech National Orchestra in Prague. He has made some 200 recordings, including several ground-breaking series devoted to African-American composers.

Freeman says he is cutting back on conducting commitments because of back pain, John Von Rhein reports in the Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/chi-0324-classical-briefmar24,0,1073026.story