David Zinman
David Zinman is an American conductor, well known for his broad repertoire with large emphasis on new music from North America and Europe. His own instrument was the violin, which he studied at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in Ohio. He took a Masters in composition at the University of Minnesota in 1963. During the same period he attended the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood. French conductor Pierre Monteux noticed him, leading to Zinman's enrolling in Monteux's conducting school in Maine. From 1961 to 1963 Zinman served as Monteux's assistant, and he considers Monteux his primary mentor.
He appeared as a guest conductor at the Nederlands Kammerorkest, after which the organization engaged him as its conductor. He held that position from 1965 to 1977. His success in Holland led one of the country's leading full-size orchestras, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, to invite him to be its music director (1979-82). He also conducted at the Holland Festival. In the meantime he had been music adviser (1972-74) and music director (1974-85) of the Rochester (NY) Philharmonic. In 1983 he became principal guest conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. This association was elevated to the position of music director in 1985.
Zinman has been known for a very broad repertoire and innovative programming. In Baltimore he added a summer music festival, a discovery series of contemporary music, and Saturday morning "Casual Concerts," with commentary by the conductor. His highly acclaimed recordings on such labels as Telarc, Argo, and Sony Classics include music as traditional as the Elgar symphonies and overtures and as unusual as Michael Daugherty's Metropolis Symphony, based on characters and situations from the Superman comic books.
Zinman's many recordings have received numerous awards and distinctions. Most notable is the spectacular popularity of his 1990 recording of Górecki's Third Symphony for Nonesuch, which became one of the most commercially successful classical recordings ever produced. He has also received a Gramophone Award, two Grands Prix du Disque, two Edison Prizes, and five Grammy Awards.
He has helped spark interest in a new school of tonal American symphonic composition that rejected the abstruse, international sound of the 12-tone music that dominated the world of "serious" clasical music from about 1950 to 1980. This more audience-friendly music featured harmonic languages and the driving rhythms characteristic of much American popular music and jazz. Although the music has been criticized fot not being progressive, the presence of these elements thrills many in the established audience, and has helped attract a new one. Composers whose work he has promoted include Christopher Rouse, Michael Torke, Aaron Jay Kernis, and Richard Danielpour.
In 1998 Zinman stepped down from his Baltimore position, but continued as music director and chief conductor of the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra (since 1995, with his contract extending to 2014). He was also music director of the Aspen Music Festival from 1985 until 2009.
© TiVo
Similar artists
-
Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27 & Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14
David Zinman, Sylvia McNair, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Telarc on Jun 1, 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Piano Concerto in D Minor, BWV1052 / Chopin: Piano Concerto No.2
Vladimir Ashkenazy, London Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Sep 12, 1965
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Russian Sketches
David Zinman, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Telarc on Jul 1, 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker - Music From The Original Soundtrack
David Zinman, New York City Ballet Orchestra
Classical - Released by Nonesuch - Warner Records on Jan 1, 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: Symphony No. 2
Classical - Released by RCA Red Seal on May 29, 2007
24-Bit 176.4 kHz - Stereo -
Bartók: Concerto For 2 Pianos, Percussion & Orchestra / Kodály: Dances Of Galánta
David Zinman, Martha Argerich, Nelson Freire, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 44 & Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
David Zinman, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Telarc on Sep 1, 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Copland: Rodeo/El Salón Mexico/Billy the Kid/Danzón Cubano
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gustav Mahler: Sinfonie Nr. 1
Symphonic Music - Released by RCA Red Seal on Jul 7, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Torke: Colour Music
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Delibes: Coppélia / Chopin: Les Sylphides / Gounod: Faust Ballet Music
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, David Zinman
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Oct 18, 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bernstein: West Side Story Symphonic Dances; Facsimile; Fancy Free; Candide Overture
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Jan 1, 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert : Symphonie n° 8 "Inachevé" & Œuvres concertantes
Symphonic Music - Released by RCA Red Seal on Nov 11, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gustav Mahler: Sinfonie Nr. 2
Symphonic Music - Released by RCA Red Seal on May 29, 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Elgar: Enigma Variations, Op. 40 & Cockaigne Overture, Op. 36
David Zinman, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Telarc on Oct 9, 1989
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Concertos 3 & 4
Classical - Released by ARTE NOVA Classics on Apr 1, 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Honegger: Symphony No. 2; Pacific 231; Pastorale d'été; Rugby; Monopartita; Mouvement symphonique No. 3
David Zinman, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on Apr 1, 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Symphony No. 8 in C Major, D. 944 "Great"
Classical - Released by RCA Red Seal on Aug 9, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Górecki, Henryk: Kleines Requiem Für Eine Polka/Harpsichord Concerto/Good Night
David Zinman, Dawn Upshaw, London Sinfonietta, Elzbieta Chojnacka
Classical - Released by Nonesuch - Warner Records on Jun 13, 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 23, TH 55 - Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
David Zinman, Horacio Gutiérrez, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by Telarc on May 1, 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mahler: Symphony No. 7
Classical - Released by RCA Red Seal on Jun 15, 2009
24-Bit 176.4 kHz - Stereo