Role

:

Ensemble

Country

:

United States of America

Period

:

Baroque

 

 

Classical

Genre

:

Opera

 

 

Vocal

 

The Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra is a classical music ensemble that was founded in 1966 by the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The orchestra was created to perform the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and other classical composers during the annual Mostly Mozart Festival, which takes place each summer at Lincoln Center. The founding of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra was the brainchild of Jane S. Moss, who was the director of programming at Lincoln Center at the time. Moss wanted to create a festival that would celebrate the music of Mozart and other classical composers, and she believed that a dedicated orchestra would be the best way to achieve this goal. The first conductor of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra was Gerard Schwarz, who led the ensemble from 1971 to 1984. Schwarz was followed by David Zinman, who served as the orchestra's music director from 1985 to 1992. Since then, the orchestra has had a number of different conductors, including Louis Langrée, who has been the music director since 2003. Over the years, the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra has featured many of the world's most renowned classical musicians, including pianists Emanuel Ax and Mitsuko Uchida, violinist Joshua Bell, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The orchestra has also collaborated with a number of other ensembles and organizations, including the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. One of the highlights of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra's history was its performance at the 2006 Salzburg Festival in Austria. The orchestra was invited to perform at the festival as part of a celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday, and its performance was widely praised by critics and audiences alike. Another notable performance by the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra was its 2011 concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The orchestra performed a program of Mozart's music, including his Symphony No. 41, "Jupiter," and his Piano Concerto No. 23, with pianist Richard Goode as the soloist. The concert was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and was later released on CD. In addition to its performances, the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra has also received numerous awards and accolades over the years. In 2008, the orchestra was awarded the Avery Fisher Prize, which is one of the most prestigious awards in classical music. The prize is awarded annually to a musician or ensemble that has demonstrated outstanding achievement and excellence in music. The Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra has also been recognized for its recordings, which include a number of critically acclaimed albums. In 2015, the orchestra released a recording of Mozart's Requiem, which was conducted by Louis Langrée and featured the Westminster Symphonic Choir. The album received widespread praise from critics and was nominated for a Grammy Award. Overall, the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra has established itself as one of the premier classical music ensembles in the world. With its dedication to the music of Mozart and other classical composers, its talented musicians, and its commitment to excellence, the orchestra has become a beloved institution at Lincoln Center and beyond.

More....