Role

:

Conductor Performer

Birth

:

July 9, 1936 in New York City, NY

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

David Zinman is a renowned American conductor who has made a significant contribution to the world of classical music. He was born on July 9, 1936, in New York City, and grew up in a family of musicians. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist. Zinman started playing the violin at the age of seven and later switched to the viola. Zinman attended Oberlin College and the University of Minnesota, where he studied music. He then went on to study conducting at the Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts. In 1958, he won the Koussevitzky Conducting Prize at Tanglewood, which launched his career as a conductor. Zinman began his professional career as an assistant conductor with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in 1959. He then served as the assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1961 to 1964. In 1965, he became the music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, a position he held until 1979. During his tenure with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Zinman gained a reputation as an innovative conductor who was willing to take risks. He introduced new works by contemporary composers and experimented with different styles of music. He also collaborated with the Eastman School of Music, which helped to establish the orchestra as one of the leading ensembles in the United States. In 1979, Zinman was appointed the music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, a position he held until 1998. During his tenure with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Zinman continued to experiment with different styles of music and introduced new works by contemporary composers. He also collaborated with the Peabody Institute, which helped to establish the orchestra as one of the leading ensembles in the world. Zinman has also served as the music director of the Aspen Music Festival and School, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. He has also guest conducted many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic. Zinman has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. In 1992, he was awarded the Ditson Conductor's Award for his commitment to American music. In 1997, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton. In 2002, he was awarded the Theodore Thomas Award by the Conductors Guild of America. One of the highlights of Zinman's career was his recording of the complete symphonies of Gustav Mahler with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. The recordings were highly acclaimed and won numerous awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance in 1999. Zinman is also known for his advocacy of historically informed performance practice. He has conducted many performances of Baroque and Classical music using period instruments and has worked with leading period instrument ensembles, including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Academy of Ancient Music. In addition to his work as a conductor, Zinman is also a respected educator. He has taught at the Eastman School of Music, the Yale School of Music, and the Aspen Music Festival and School. He has also written articles and given lectures on music and conducting. David Zinman is a conductor who has made a significant contribution to the world of classical music.

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