WHEN “CityNews” caught up with Canberra Symphony Orchestra chief conductor Nick Milton last winter, he was dashing between Europe and Australia at the rate of knots, conducting for Opera Australia one week and Vienna’s Volksoper the next.

Now, after news that he’s been appointed over swag of conductors to become the new musical director and chief conductor of the State Theatre in Saarbr?ken, Germany, he’ll be rushing even more.

Milton will take up his 5-year-long position in September this year, but will also continue with the CSO, which he joined in 2007, until at least 2016, as announced last year. His role was conductor of Willoughby Symphony will also continue.

The State Theatre undertook an international search in which Milton emerged as the clear favourite from over 100 contenders.

No wonder he says, “The State Theatre in Saarbrücken is an exhilarating house with a proud and distinguished tradition – one that I feel immensely proud to join…the orchestra’s flexibility, range of colour, energy, and imagination were inspiring.”

Formerly concertmaster of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the violinist of the popular Macquarie Trio, Nicholas Milton have established an enviable international career over the last decade, conducting for the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra, the Dortmund Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana and the China National Symphony Orchestra.

Nicholas Milton will be back in Canberra during May to conduct Llewellyn Series “14:2 Mahler” on May 7 and 8. Visit cso.org.au for details.