Tonhalle-Orchestra Zurich
Orchestras
Under the direction of its chief conductor and music director, David Zinman, the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich has become one of the world’s leading orchestras. Highly acclaimed recordings include those by Richard Strauss, Schumann and Beethoven, the latter of which sold over a million copies worldwide. The most recent large-scale recording project has been the completion of all the Mahler symphonies, followed by those of Brahms, which are being released this autumn. The orchestra is currently recording the complete symphonies of Schubert.
The Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich performs over 100 concerts per season and over 50 different programmes, and many internationally renowned guest conductors are invited to work with this highly motivated ensemble. The orchestra is keen to interest young concertgoers, and attracts huge young audiences with its family concerts and with the particularly popular tonhalleLATE series, which combines classical and electronic music.
The Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich was founded in 1868 and is the oldest symphony orchestra in Switzerland. The Tonhalle Zurich, its home since 1895, is considered one of the finest concert halls in the world. Recently, particularly close relationships have developed with Herbert Blomstedt and Bernard Haitink. In the season 2011/12, guest conductors include Franz Brüggen, Christoph von Dohnányi, Charles Dutoit, Vladimir Jurowski, Tom Koopman, Kurt Masur, Jonathan Nott and Andris Nelsons. Celebrated soloists including Julia Fischer, Maria João Pires, Yo-Yo Ma, Murray Perahia and Christian Tetlzlaff will perform with the orchestra this season.
Awards and recording prizes
1999 German Record Prize for the complete Beethoven Symphonies with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich
2007 Midem Classical Award for Beethoven Violin Concerto with Christian Tetzlaff
2009 Le Monde de la Musique Priz Choc for recording of Mahler Symphony No 6
2011 Echo Klassik 2011 prize for Mahler Symphony No 8, 19th century symphonic recording of the year
SEASON 2011/2012
DAVID ZINMAN
David Zinman, born in New York, initially trained at the Oberlin Conservatory and then at the University of Minnesota, which has awarded him an honorary doctorate. While studying at the Boston Symphony Orchestra‘s Tanglewood Music Center, he attracted the attention of Pierre Monteux, who arranged his first performances with the London Symphony Orchestra and at the Holland Festival. Zinman has been the chief conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of the Netherlands, of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Since 1995 he has been the chief conductor of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, regularly touring Europe, the USA and Asia, and recording numerous CDs. He was also the artistic director of the Aspen Festival of Music from 1998 to 2009. In 2000, he was awarded the title of «Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres» by the French Ministry of Culture; in 2002, he won the Art Prize of the City of Zurich, in 2006, he was presented with the Theodore Thomas Award and in 2008 with the Midem Classical Award «Artist of the Year». In the 2009/10 season, David Zinman gave his debut at the Zurich Opera House with Offenbach‘s «Les contes d’Hoffmann». David Zinman regularly guest conducts the largest orchestras in Europe and North America: Amsterdam, Berlin, Leipzig, Hamburg, Vienna, Paris, London, New York and Chicago.
Awards and recording prizes
1993 Gramophone Award Best-selling recording of the year for Gorecki Symphony No 3.
1994 Gramophone Award Best orchestral work for Charles Koechlin’s «The Jungle Book» recording with the German Radio Symphony Orchestra
1997 Ditson Award from Columbia University for the commitment to American composers
1998 Gramophone Award Best Concerto for the recording of Barber & Walton violin concertos and Baal Sham with Joshua Bell and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
1999 German Record Prize for the complete Beethoven Symphonies with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich
2000 Award Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture
2002 Awarded the Art prize of the City of Zurich
2006 Theodore Thomas Award for the Conductors Guild
2007 Midem Classical Award for the recording of Beethoven's Violin Concerto with Christian Tetzlaff and the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich
2008 Midem Classical Award Artist of the Year
2009 Prix Choc from Le Monde de la Musique for the recording of Mahler's 6th Symphony with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich
2011 Golden Note from the Friends of Music at the Zurich University of the Arts with Elmar Weingarten, director of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich
SAISON 2011/2012
