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Austrian-born conductor David Danzmayr is Oregon Symphony’s New Music Director

The citywide celebration features new Music Director David Danzmayr conducting the Oregon Symphony, and an entertainment lineup that spotlights Portland’s unique and diverse artists and community partners.

Portland, OR. After a four year search and evaluation of over 700 possible music professionals, the Oregon Symphony announced that Austrian-born conductor David Danzmayr will serve as its next Music Director.

Current Music Director, Carlos Kalmar will move into an advisory position with the organization after 17 years at the helm.

Because of the pandemic, symphony concerts have been canceled through June. But Scott Showalter, Oregon Symphony president, says the orchestra should be back in the fall. “We will reunite in-person with our community in Fall 2021, as we celebrate our 125th anniversary with adventurous new programming and exhilarating performances.”

Regarded as a gifted conductor, Oregon Symphony describes its new Music Director, David Danzmayr as, “a creative leader with a unique artistic vision, reflecting his desire to embrace wide-ranging cultures while inspiring and challenging audiences.”

According to the symphony’s announcement, Danzmayr has won prizes at some of the world ́s most prestigious conducting competitions, including at the International Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition and the International Malko Conducting Competition. He was also awarded the Bernhard Paumgartner Medal by the Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum, and was a finalist in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s First International Sir Georg Solti Conducting Competition, where he was judged by a panel including longtime Oregon Symphony Music Director James DePreist.

Danzmayr was strongly influenced by Pierre Boulez and Claudio Abbado in his time as conducting stipendiate of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra and by Leif Segerstam during his additional studies at the Sibelius Academy. Subsequently, he gained significant experience as assistant to Oregon Symphony Music Director Laureate Carlos Kalmar, Neeme Järvi, Stéphane Denève, Sir Andrew Davies, and Pierre Boulez, who entrusted Danzmayr with the preparatory rehearsals for his own music.

the Oregon Symphony is the oldest orchestra in the western United States.

Here is a video about this new chapter in the life of the Oregon Symphony.

From Oregon Symphony:

The multi-Grammy Award-nominated Oregon Symphony ranks as one of America’s major orchestras. Led by Music Director Carlos Kalmar, it serves more than 235,000 people annually through live concerts and award-winning education and community engagement programs. The Oregon Symphony has broken attendance and fundraising records in recent years, while innovating on stage through new series such as SoundSights, Sounds of Home and SoundStories. Additionally, syndicated programming for broadcast reaches tens of millions of people throughout the world. As 2021/22 will mark its 125^th anniversary, the Oregon Symphony is the oldest orchestra in the western United States. For more information, visit www.orsymphony.org.

Follow Oregon Symphony on Instagram @OregonSymphony, Facebook @OregonSymphony and Twitter @OregonSymphony.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.