Pittsburgh Symphony Announces Nikolai Song as Principal Flute
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has announced the appointment of Nikolai Song as its new Principal Flute, effective immediately. Song will step into the role for the first time on this weekend’s BNY Classics program under the baton of Music Director Manfred Honeck. He will hold the distinguished Jackman Pfouts Flute Chair.
The Principal Flute position was most recently held by Lorna McGhee, who served with distinction from January 2012 through June 2025. McGhee’s tenure marked a significant era for the orchestra’s woodwind section, and Song now assumes the mantle at a pivotal moment in the ensemble’s history.
“Nikolai is an extraordinary musician whose artistry, technical brilliance, and musical sensitivity are immediately apparent,” said Honeck. “I am thrilled to welcome him to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and look forward to the depth, color, and inspiration he will bring to our sound.”
A Remarkable International Career
Though still early in his career, Nikolai Song has already built an impressive résumé across Europe. Most recently, he served as Acting Principal Flute with the Berner Symphonieorchester in Switzerland. Prior to that, he was appointed Assistant Principal Flute of the Sinfonieorchester Basel at just eighteen years old—an extraordinary achievement that signaled the arrival of a major talent.
Song has appeared as Guest Principal Flute with an array of leading European ensembles, including the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg, the Zürcher Kammerorchester, and the Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen. He is also a member of the renowned Verbier Festival Orchestra, an ensemble known for bringing together exceptional young artists from around the world.
Award-Winning Soloist
A recipient of the prestigious ICMA Discovery Award, Song has distinguished himself equally as a soloist. He has performed with the Basque National Orchestra, the Barcelona Baroque Orchestra at the Festival Pablo Casals, the Orchestre National de Cannes with his wind quintet Quintette Pentagone, and the Odense Symphony Orchestra during the Carl Nielsen International Competition.
These appearances reflect both technical mastery and musical maturity—qualities that have quickly elevated him onto the international stage.
Elite Training in France and Switzerland
Song’s musical journey began early. At just thirteen, he was admitted to the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, where he studied with Philippe Bernold and Florence Souchard-Delépine. He later earned a Soloist Diploma from the Haute École de Musique de Genève under the guidance of Jacques Zoon.
This Franco-Swiss lineage—deeply rooted in tonal refinement, stylistic awareness, and technical precision—has clearly shaped Song’s artistic identity.
A New Chapter in Pittsburgh
With this appointment, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra signals both continuity and renewal. The Principal Flute role is central to the orchestra’s sonic palette, shaping everything from the luminous transparency of classical repertoire to the soaring lyricism of late Romantic symphonies.
For flutists and orchestral audiences alike, Nikolai Song’s arrival promises a fresh infusion of energy, elegance, and virtuosity. As he takes his seat in Heinz Hall this weekend, the flute world will be listening closely.