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Gerard SCHWARZ |
The 1999/2000 season marks Gerard Schwarz’ 17th year with the Seattle Symphony and his 23rd as Music Director of the New York Chamber Symphony. He is also Music Director of New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival, where he has spent his summers since 1982.
A graduate of The Juilliard School, Gerard Schwarz began his conducting career in 1966. Within ten years, he was appointed Music Director of the Erick Hawkins Dance Company, the Eliot Feld Dance Company, the Waterloo Festival and the New York Chamber Symphony, as well as the Los Angeles Chamber Orchetra. In 1981 he established the Music Today contemporary music series in New York City and served as its Music Director through 1989.
In 1983, Maestro Schwarz came to the Seattle Symphony as Music Advisor.The following year he was appointed Principal Conductor and since 1985 has held the post of Music Director.
During his tenure with the Mostly Mozart Festival, Maestro Schwarz has conducted many early Mozart Operas in concert form. He has led the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra in debuts at the Tanglewood and Ravinia Festivals and since 1991 has conducted the Mostly Mozart Festival in Tokyo.
In January 1994 Maestro Schwarz became Artistic Advisor to Tokyu Bunkamura’s Orchard Hall, conducting six programs annually with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Gerard Schwarz made his operatic conducting debut in 1982 at the Kennedy Center with the Washington Opera’s production of Die Entführung aus dem Serail followed by Salomé and Fidelio.. He made his Seattle Opera debut in January 1986 in Cosi fan tutte.
During his tenure in Seattle, Maestro Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony have released more than 75 compact discs for DELOS, EMI, KOCH International, NEW WORLD, NONESUCH, REFERENCE RECORDINGS and RCA.
Maestro Schwarz was named 1994 Conductor of the Year by MUSICAL AMERICA INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF THE PERFORMING ARTS.He has also received the Ditson Conductor’s Award from Columbia University, an honorary Doctorate of Music from The Juilliard School, as well as honorary doctorates from Fairleigh Dickinson University, the University of Puget Sound and Seattle University.
In the Spring of 1998, Maestro Schwarz was invited
by Seiji Ozawa, Music Director of the Boston Symphony, to direct Debussy’s
Pelleas et Mélisande with the New Orchestra of Japan in a major
production starring Teresa Stratas and José van Dam.
In April 1999, he guest conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra in a concert
including music by Ravel and Debussy as arranged by honorary Seattle Symphony
Composer in Residence, David Diamond. On April 29 and May 1, 1999 Maestro
Schwarz led the Seattle Symphony, soloists, and Seattle symphony chorale
in a performance od Deems Taylo’s rarely heard operatic masterpiece,
Peter Ibbetson.
Beginning with the 2001 season, Maestro Scharz will assume the position
of Music Direcor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Founded
in 1840, the Liverpool ensemble is the third oldest orchestra in the world.
Its past music directors have included Max Bruch, Sir Malcolm Sargent,
Sir Thomas Beecham and Sir Charles Groves. Mr.Schwarz will continue to
serve as Music Director of the Seattle Symphony and the New York Chamber
symphony.