Kurt Masur

Kurt Masur (born July 18, 1927) is a German conductor.

Masur was born in Brieg in Silesia and studied piano, composition and conducting in Leipzig. He held a number of conducting posts in East Germany, conducting the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra from 1955 to 1958 and again from 1967 to 1972. In 1970 he became kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, serving in that post until 1996. In 1991 he succeeded Zubin Mehta as music director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYP), leaving that post in 2002. Masur is now the Music Director Emeritus of the NYP. In 2000 he became principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and he will relinquish this post in 2007. In April 2002, Masur became music director of the Orchestre National de France.

Masur is particularly noted for his interpretation of German Romantic music. In 1982 he recived the National Prize of East Germany

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Preceded by Horst Förster	Principal Conductor, Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra 1967–1972	Succeeded by Günther Herbig
Preceded by Heinz Bongartz	Principal Conductor, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra 1970–1996	Succeeded by Herbert Blomstedt
Preceded by Zubin Mehta	Music Director, New York Philharmonic 1991–2002	Succeeded by Lorin Maazel
Preceded by Franz Welser-Möst	Principal Conductor, London Philharmonic Orchestra 2000–2007	Succeeded by Vladimir Jurowski (designate)
Preceded by Charles Dutoit	Principal Conductor, Orchestre National de France 2002–	Succeeded by incumbent