Mariss Jansons Will Be the New Principal Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Bavarian Radio (Bayerischer Rundfunk) As from September 2003 (Detailed Biography)
Mariss Jansons will be the new Principal Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Bavarian Radio (Bayerischer Rundfunk) as from September 2003 (detailed biography)
Munich (ots) - Lorin Maazel’s successor for the post of Principal Conductor of Bavarian Radio’s Symphony Orchestra is settled as from today.
Dr. Thomas Gruber, the radio director of Bavarian Radio appeared extremely pleased about Mariss Jansons agreeing to take over the direction of the Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of Bavarian Radio as from the 2003/2004 season. Jansons, says Gruber, has the rare gift of not only being able to receive inspiration, but also to pass it on to the musicians. He can be inspired and can, thus, inspire the audience. The name Mariss Jansons stands for music with heart and soul. It should be fascinating to see how his impetus affects the repertoire.
Mariss Jansons has already conducted Bavaria Radio’s Symphony Orchestra many times, the last time being December last year at a celebrated concert during the “Kissinger Winterzauber”. In September he will direct Bavaria Radio’s Symphony Orchestra at the opening of the new 2001/2002 concert season.
Mariss Jansons is considered one of the most respected conductors of his generation. He became well-known worldwide not only through his concerts and tours, but also through his numerous gramophone, radio and TV recordings. Along with his posts as Principal Conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra since 1979, and the Pittsburgh Symphony since 1997, both of which he has lead to international acclaim, Mariss Jansons has also worked as Associate Principal conductor of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra and as Principal Guest Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra since 1985.
Mariss Jansons is the son of the famous conductor Arvid Jansons and was born in Riga in 1943. He studied violin, piano and conducting at the St Petersburg Conservatory, which he completed with distinction,and continued his studies in 1969 in Vienna under Professor Hans Swarowsky and in Salzburg under Herbert von Karajan. In 1971 Mariss Jansons won the Herbert von Karajan competition in Berlin.
Mariss Jansons’ collaboration with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, formerly the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, started in 1973, when he was appointed Associate Conductor. In 1985 he rose to the rank of Associate Principal Conductor of the orchestra. He still holds this post today. Since his appointment to the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra Mariss Jansons has successfully directed the orchestra on many of their very successful, worldwide tours.
The Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra has gained a reputation as one of the world’s best orchestras under his leadership. Mariss Jansons and the “Oslo troupe” have been guests on joint tours at the most important centres in the music world over the last few years. They played at the Salzburg Festival, the festivals in Lucerne and Edinburgh, the BBC Proms, the Barbican Centre and the Royal Festival Hall in London as well as the Vienna Music Association, the Royal Concertgebouw, the Lincoln Centre and the Carnegie Hall in New York and the Suntory Hall in Tokyo. Over the years they have received many excellent reviews for their numerous recordings for EMI and Chandos.
Along with his numerous fixed commitments, Mariss Jansons has again and again conducted many of the world’s best orchestras, such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland and Philadelphia Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw, Bavaria Radio’s Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, the London Symphony,and the London Philharmonic and Philharmonia Orchestra with immense success. He is also a guest at the Salzburg Festival every year with different orchestras.
The repertoire of his gramophone recordings for EMI and Chandos range from works by Berlioz, Dvorak, Bartok, Mahler, Prokofiev and Rachmaninov through to Ravel, Respighi, Schostakovich, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Stravinsky, Wagner and Weill. Many of the recordings have been awarded international prizes. In 1989 Mariss Jansons received the Edison Award for the recording of Schostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 with the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. He received the much sought after Dutch Luister Award for the recording of the Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. For Dvorak’s Symphony Nr. 5 with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra he won the “Penguin Award“ and for the Symphonies No. 2 und 3 by Honegger the Grand Prix de Disque.
The future director of Bavarian Radio’s Symphony Orchestra has already been honoured with awards on numerous occasions. He was chosen as “Artist of the Year 1996“ by EMI Classics and received the Norwegian Anders Jahre Culture Prize. Furthermore, a special honour was bestowed on him in Norway, namely in 1995 he was awarded the “Commander with Star”, the highest Order awarded to non-noble, non-Norwegian citizens, along with the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, by King Harald V. Photos of Mariss Jansons: Photos are available in the BR picture archive, Tel. 089/5900-3040, Fax 089/5900-3284 or BR- APIS-ONLINE 10040 as well as LEONARDO-ISDN: Tel. 089/5900-4597 (please address your enquiry to LEONARDO on Tel. No. 089/5900- 2738, Gerhard Kirmair).
Contact: Bayerischer Rundfunk Press Office Tel. 089 / 5900 2176