His management company announced the conductor’s retirement from public performances. At the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, where he became Conductor Laureate last year, “Ashkenazy launched a three-year program called Vladimir Ashkenazy Masterworks and, as part of the 2020 season, was to have conducted the Northern Lights Festival in May. The SSO said today that the performances will go ahead with a guest conductor to be announced.” – Limelight (Australia)