David Zinman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

David Zinman (born New York, 9 July 1936) is an American conductor.

1 Career
- 1.1 Early Years
- 1.2 Current
2 External links

[edit] Career

[edit] Early Years

After early violin studies at the Oberlin Conservatory, he studied theory and composition at the University of Minnesota and took up conducting at Tanglewood. He then worked in Maine with Monteux (1958–62), serving as his assistant from 1961 to 1964. Zinman was principal conductor of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra from 1965 to 1977, music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 1974 to 1985 and chief conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra from 1979 to 1982.

After two years as principal guest conductor, Zinman was appointed music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 1985, a position he held until 1998. With that orchestra he made important recordings (including a series of Schumann symphonies and much American music) and transformed a regional ensemble into a leading American institution, his musical strengths complemented by an engaging manner, a deep commitment to music education and community relations, deft use of the media and self-deprecating humour (‘I am the Mel Brooks of the violin’, he once declared).

He has also appeared with leading orchestras and festivals in the USA, Canada and Europe. Zinman has given numerous premières at Baltimore and elsewhere, including works by Adams, Bolcom, Danielpour, Daugherty, Kernis, Kirchner, Rouse and Torke. His recording of Górecki’s Symphony no.3 with the London Sinfonietta was an international bestseller. Zinman became music director of the Zürich Tonhalle Orchestra in 1995 and the following year was appointed music director of the Aspen Music Festival and School and received the Peabody Award from Johns Hopkins University. He continues to direct the Zürich Tonhalle Orchestra and the Aspen Music Festival. With the Tonhalle, he recently completed the Beethoven symphonies on CD (2004) and Beethoven Overtures (2005) to widespread musical acclaim and his recorded repertoire continues to grow as does the international reputation of the Zürich orchestra, which he has now nurtured for 10 years.

After completing the Beethoven cycle, including the Missa Solemnis, the triple concerto, the piano concertos and the violin concerto in 2005/6, Zinman begins recording the works of Mahler in early 2006 with the Zürich Tonhalle. His 2 performances with it in the BBC Promenade Concert series, most recently in 2005, were enthusiastically received and the more recent one was nationally televised in Britain, revealing his command of the music, the versatility of his interpretation and his subtle but impressive control over every aspect of the orchestra and its performance.

[edit] Current

David Zinman lives in New Jersey, USA and in Zürich, Switzerland. In addition to concerts and recordings with the Tonhalle orchestra which has extended his contact as music director until 2010, he conducts all over the world with most of the leading orchestras, recently including the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1993, he conducted the orchestra for the soundtrack of the film version of the New York City Ballet production of The Nutcracker, with Tchaikovsky's music and George Balanchine's choreography.

In January 2006, David Zinman, received the prestigious Theodore Thomas Award, presented by the Conductors Guild. The award is presented bi-annually to a conductor, in recognition of outstanding achievement and extraordinary service to one’s colleagues in advancing the art and science of conducting, reflecting honour on the profession.

[edit] External links

Preceded by: László Somogyi	Music Directors, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra 1974–1985	Succeeded by: Jerzy Semkow
Preceded by: Edo de Waart	Music Directors, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra 1979–1982	Succeeded by: James Conlon
Preceded by: Sergiu Comissiona	Music Directors, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra 1985–1998	Succeeded by: Yuri Temirkanov
Preceded by: Claus Peter Flor (principal guest)	Music Directors, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra 1995–	Succeeded by: incumbent