Andreas Delfs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Andreas Delfs (b. August 30, 1959) is a German conductor. He is the music director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the Honolulu Symphony.

Delfs was born in Flensburg, Germany. He began studying piano and music theory at age five, and by age twenty was named Music Director of the Hamburg University Orchestra. [1] Delfs graduated from Hamburg Conservatory in 1981, and earned his master's at Juilliard School of Music in 1984. At Hamburg, Delfs studied under Aldo Ceccato and Christoph von Dohnanyi. After receiving his Master's, he accepted the post of Assistant Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, then under the music directorship of Lorin Maazel. From 1984 to 1995 he also held the position of chief conductor of the Swiss Youth Symphony Orchestra (SYSO).

Delfs was appointed Music Director and conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in 1996. In 1999, he led the Orchestra on a tour of Cuba, the first by an American orchestra in more than 37 years. In December 2006, the orchestra announced that Delfs would relinquish the music directorship of the Milwaukee Symphony after the 2008-2009 season (the Orchestra's fiftieth season), and become its Conductor Laureate.[1]

Delfs held the post of Music Director of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra from 2001-2004, and the position of General Music Director of Hannover from 1995-2000. In March 2007, Delfs was named Principal Conductor of the Honolulu Symphony,[2] with an initial contract of 3 years.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Matthew Westphal. "Andreas Delfs to Step Down as Milwaukee Symphony Music Director", Playbill Arts, 6 December 2006. Retrieved on 2007-12-21. 
  2. ^ Matthew Westphal. "Andreas Delfs Named Principal Conductor of Honolulu Symphony", Playbill Arts, 6 March 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-21. 
  3. ^ Honolulu Symphony (6 March 2007). "Internationally Renowned Conductor Appointed to Honolulu Symphony Andreas Delfs Named New Principal Conductor". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
Preceded by
Zdeněk Mácal		 Music Director, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
1997-2009		 Succeeded by
Edo de Waart
Preceded by
Hugh Wolff		 Music Director, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
2001-2004		 Succeeded by
no further music directors
Preceded by
JoAnn Falletta (music advisor)		 Principal Conductor, Honolulu Symphony Orchestra
2007-present		 Succeeded by
incumbent
Languages