David Zinman (born New York City, U.S., 9 July 1936) is an American conductor and violinist.
After early violin studies at the Oberlin Conservatory, Zinman studied theory and composition at the University of Minnesota and took up conducting at Tanglewood. He then worked in Maine with Pierre Monteux from 1958 to 1962, serving as his assistant from 1961 to 1964.
Zinman held the post of tweede dirigent (second conductor) of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra from 1965 to 1977. He was the principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra from 1979 to 1982.
In the USA, Zinman was music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 1974 to 1985. With the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, he served two years as principal guest conductor, and became the orchestra's music director in 1985. During his Baltimore tenure, Zinman began to incorporate the ideas of the historically informed performance movement into performances of the Beethoven symphonies.[1] Upon the conclusion of his tenure as music director in 1998, he was named the orchestra's conductor laureate. However, in protest at what he saw the Baltimore orchestra's overly conservative programming in the years since his departure, Zinman resigned the title of conductor laureate in 2001.[2] In 1998, Zinman was appointed music director of the Aspen Music Festival and School,[3] where he founded and directed its American Academy of Conducting until his sudden resignation in April 2010.[4]
Zinman became music director of the Tonhalle Orchester Zurich in 1995. His programme innovations in Zurich include a series of late-night concerts, "Tonhalle Late", which combine classical music and a nightclub setting.[5] His recordings for Arte Nova of the complete Beethoven symphonies utilised the Jonathan Del Mar critical edition and received critical acclaim. He has subsequently recorded Beethoven overtures and concertos with the Tonhalle.[6][7][8] Zinman conducted the Tonhalle Orchestra in its first-ever appearance at The Proms in 2003.[9] His current contract with the Tonhalle Orchestra is through 2015.
Zinman's other recordings include the soundtrack of the 1993 film version of the New York City Ballet production of The Nutcracker. His 1992 recording of Henryk Górecki’s Symphony no.3 with the London Sinfonietta was an international bestseller.[5] In January 2006, Zinman received the Theodore Thomas Award, presented by the Conductors Guild.
In autumn 2009 David Zinman and the Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich recorded an elaborate soundtrack together with composer Diego Baldenweg and music producer Lionel Vincent Baldenweg for a feature film called 180° - AMOK (Source: Werbewoche). This project was honoured with the prize for "best film music 2010" at the Locarno International Film Festival.
Zinman and his wife live in New Jersey and Zürich, Switzerland.
| Preceded by Edo de Waart |
Music Director, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra 1979-1982 |
Succeeded by James Conlon |
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