The Stories
Martin Rajna embarks on a new ride
The Stories
Martin Rajna embarks on a new ride
This season marks a special milestone for all of us, as we welcome our new Music Director Martin Rajna. «A remarkable artistic figure who both builds on the momentum of recent years and sketches out new horizons,» says Director General Stephan Gehmacher. So, what’s it like for a new Music Director to arrive in Luxembourg? In our conversation in the director’s dressing room, Martin Rajna tells us why meeting the orchestra felt like «love at first sight», how he stays consistent on the podium regardless of his mood, and how he decompresses with fast-lane swimming and a good book.
«It was like a fairytale»
Choosing a new Music Director is a fascinating, and surprisingly delicate, behind-the-scenes process. After a remarkable ten-year tenure with Gustavo Gimeno, the time had come for the Luxembourg Philharmonic to turn a new page. The search had quietly begun years earlier, with the search committee keeping a watchful eye on talent across the classical world.
A young conductor from Hungary was making waves internationally, drawing attention not just for his musicianship but also the speed of his rise. At just 27 years old, Martin Rajna was appointed principal conductor of the Hungarian State Opera of Budapest – a feat only Gustav Mahler had achieved at that age. The reviews that followed found their way to the desk of Matthew Studdert-Kennedy, Head of the Artistic Planning Division at the Philharmonie Luxembourg, and the wheels began turning.
Martin Rajna was first invited as a guest conductor in the autumn of 2024. It was, by all accounts, something immediate and electric. «It was love at first sight, an instant click with the orchestra, a real understanding,» he recalls. Matthew Studdert-Kennedy describes it with equal enthusiasm: «Great conductors stand out for their exceptional musicality and distinctive personality. During his first collaboration with the Luxembourg Philharmonic, Martin Rajna clearly demonstrated both, establishing an immediate connection with the musicians.»
The process that followed was a democratic one. After each guest appearance, an internal survey is circulated among orchestra members. Patrick Coljon, Head of Orchestra, recalls the response: «The feedback was highly positive, with many comments stressing the importance of acting quickly to secure him. What I saw in him is something I have never seen before in a Music Director. He works with such precision and love for music.» Matthew Studdert-Kennedy says: «The bond that was formed was so strong, and the potential so evident, that we quickly decided to commit to a shared future.»
For Martin Rajna himself, the turn of events «is like a fairytale.» He had not expected a guest appearance to lead to this. The invitation «came at the right time in my life» and what started as a single concert engagement has blossomed into something far bigger. The Luxembourg Philharmonic is a growing force, according to Martin Rajna: «This is my first invitation to a high-level orchestra and a chance to prove myself.»
«It’s an adventure […] alone with your thoughts and your emotions»
A classical concert can be an emotional ride, and Martin Rajna wants to take the audience on a genuine journey. He likes to compare it to «an adventure in the mountains or in the forest. It can be dangerous, reflective – you are alone with your thoughts and your emotions.» There is space to breathe, to wander, to sit with the different feelings that you may come across on your journey. What matters most to him is that music involves the listener: «You have to be active, you cannot be a passive listener.» In Martin Rajna’s vision, a concert is not something that happens to you – it is something you participate in, even from your seat. The conductor and the musicians can feel the energy from the stage when you are engaged and captivated.
Martin Rajna is a conductor deeply connected to his emotions, finding it easier and more fulfilling to conduct music he genuinely loves. Operas like Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida or Richard Strauss’s Salome have had a huge impact on him.
We’re all human – with personalities and moods
Conducting a large orchestra is, in many ways, an exercise in human understanding as much as musical mastery. Even within the unity that a great ensemble projects, an orchestra remains a collection of individuals, each with a different instrument, a different temperament, and a different day behind them. Martin Rajna is attuned to all of it. From the very first note of a rehearsal, he can sense whether the orchestra is in the right mood, whether they feel secure, whether they are truly present. «You feel it immediately,» he says. He is, by his own account, a deeply empathetic person – and that quality extends fully to the podium. He speaks warmly of the kindness he has encountered among his colleagues, the musicians, and the direction of the Philharmonie.
How does Martin Rajna stay in tune with the music despite the mood he is in? «Our mood is determined by life – the day we’re having, private problems, grief, whatever it might be. But I think it’s also a skill to serve the music, to be consistent.» Differences of personality are normal in any group of people. «You’ll find that everywhere, but it doesn’t get in the way of a good performance.» What holds everything together is a shared commitment to the music.
An avid swimmer and bookworm
Besides music, Martin Rajna loves to read. Throughout the year, he collects books and saves them for the summer, when he finally has the time to settle in. In practice, the pile rarely shrinks entirely. A few stubborn titles survive to the bottom of the stack, only to be joined by a fresh tower the following year. It is a cycle he accepts cheerfully. Relatable, Martin, deeply relatable!
He is also an early bird and an enthusiastic swimmer – not the leisurely kind, but the fast-lane, stopwatch variety. Maybe one day we’ll find him at the Coque swimming pool next door, powering through lengths as a way of clearing his head and shaking off the intensity of his work. Add to this a love of nature and a fondness for the zoo, and a picture emerges of someone who recharges by engaging fully with the world around him – whether that means a forest trail or a quiet afternoon with a book from the summer pile.
He speaks Hungarian, German, Italian, and English fluently, and has already begun learning French, a decision made swiftly after realising during his first visits to Luxembourg that it was rather essential. Hopefully, for Martin Rajna, Luxembourg will soon start to feel like home.
For his first concert as Music Director, he will perform György Kurtág’s Stele alongside Gustav Mahler’s Symphony N° 1 «Titan» and Béla Bartók’s Violin Concerto N° 1. The season will also see him dive into three Beethoven symphonies as we mark 200 years since the great composer's death. So, there are plenty of opportunities to welcome him to his new home!
