Pinchas Zukerman adds Royal Philharmonic Orchestra appointment to NAC Orchestra Music Directorship

Pinchas Zukerman to become Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra while continuing as Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra

Ottawa, Canada ’Äì Pinchas Zukerman, Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, will join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) as Principal Guest Conductor from January 2009. The world-famous violinist, violist, conductor, pedagogue, chamber musician and mentor adds this prestigious new appointment in London, England, to his international soloist career and to his 16-week commitment to the NAC Orchestra in Ottawa, Canada, where he continues to live.

In March 2006, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra invited Pinchas Zukerman to play/conduct a concert at Cadogan Hall, London; the event was a huge success and led to a critically acclaimed RPO tour of the USA in January 2008 with Pinchas Zukerman conducting the Orchestra and performing the Beethoven or Bruch Violin Concerto in 22 concerts across the country.

Pinchas Zukerman will take his place alongside a plethora of esteemed conductors by joining the RPO’Äôs roster: Daniele Gatti, Music Director, Charles Dutoit, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Elect from 2009, Leonard Slatkin, Principal Guest Conductor, and Grzegorz Nowak, Principal Associate Conductor.

Ian Maclay, Managing Director of the RPO, says:

’ÄúThe decision to offer Pinchas Zukerman the post was a unanimous one from the musicians of the RPO after a hugely successful tour of the USA in January of this year. Everyone was impressed by his musicianship, his commitment to the Orchestra and his constant striving for the highest possible results. We are thrilled to have him on board with his work with the Orchestra involving London and UK dates with emphasis on community work and international tours’Äù.

Pinchas Zukerman says:

’ÄúIt is an honour to become a part of the Royal Philharmonic’Äôs storied history, joining such past luminaries as Sir Thomas Beecham, Rudolf Kempe and Antal Dorˆ°ti. Our January tour gave me the opportunity to play 22 concerts in 11 states and was a joyous experience both personally and professionally. I look forward to working with these outstanding musicians as Principal Guest Conductor.’Äù

Recognised as a phenomenon for nearly four decades, Pinchas Zukerman recently turned 60 years of age; he is marking the milestone with an extensive schedule of concerts, events and educational activities across the globe during the current season, travelling to 17 countries, and performing in over 30 major cities.

Pinchas Zukerman was named Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in 1998. In addition to a busy performance schedule at the NAC, he has just returned from a Western Canada Tour with the NAC Orchestra, which received multiple standing ovations and rave reviews at every concert. The Performance and Education Tour, which was his eighth tour since becoming Music Director, included over 130 education events. Maestro Zukerman is the driving force behind the national role the NAC plays in education. He founded the NAC Summer Music Institute (SMI) in 1999 which now includes the Young Artists Programme, Conductors Programme and Composers Programme. Over ten years the SMI has provided training with an international faculty headed by Zukerman to 581 participants from 34 countries. In 2007, Pinchas Zukerman launched the Institute of Orchestral Studies, a season-long institute charged with developing highly talented musicians for orchestral careers. A pioneer of distance learning, he champions the NAC’Äôs broadband videoconferencing programme known as Hexagon.

Prior to joining the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Pinchas Zukerman was Music Director of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra from 1980 to 1987, Music Director of the South Bank Festival in England from 1979 to 1981, Principal Guest Conductor of the Dallas Symphony’Äôs International Summer Music Festival from 1991-1995 and the Dallas Symphony from 1993 to 1995, and Artistic Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’Äôs Summer MusicFest, from 1996 to 1999.