David Zinman – Honorary Conductor
David Zinman was principal conductor of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich from 1995 to 2014. It was the high point of his career – and a happy time for the orchestra.
When the American David Zinman joined the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich as principal conductor in 1995, the orchestra had gone through difficult times under changing conductors. Zinman's first plan was a Beethoven cycle – and he convinced both the audience and the media with a fresh, dance-like and superbly played interpretation. The complete recording of Beethoven's symphonies was awarded the coveted "German Record Critics' Prize", and the orchestra's self-confidence was restored.
Numerous other, equally successful cycles followed with works by Schumann, Brahms, Strauss, Schubert and Mahler. the collaboration lasted 19 years and was a stroke of luck for both sides; since his retirement in summer 2014, David Zinman has been associated with the orchestra as an honorary conductor.
The Zurich period was the high point of his career, which had already taken a steep turn early on. David Zinman received his training at the Oberlin Conservatory and at the University of Minnesota, which later awarded him an honorary doctorate. During his conducting studies at the Boston Symphony Orchestra's Tanglewood Music Center, he made his first significant appearances with the London Symphony Orchestra and at the Holland Festival. Later, David Zinman was principal conductor of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, which became one of the most important American orchestras under his direction. He was in demand early on as a guest conductor with numerous renowned orchestras in Europe and the USA. From 1985 to 2009, he was the artistic director of the Aspen Festival of Music.
Translated with DeepL.com
