German Maestro is the new music director of Ravinia Festival. Replacing James Levin (who was director from 1972-93; Ravinia's only other music director was Seiji Ozawa 1964-68), Eschenbach is reputed both as a conductor and a concert pianist, and has enjoyed a long, happy relationship with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Eschenbach has been music director of the Houston Symphony since 1988, and has conducted most of the major European and American orchestras.
Born in Breslau, Germany, Eschenbach studied paino with his mother before continuing to Hamburg, where he also began studying conducting. At age 11 in 1951, he took first prize in Steinway's Young Pianists' Competition. Eschenbach made his US debut with the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell, with whom Eschenbach continued his conducting studies and close association until Szell's death in 1970.
Perhaps the foremost German post-war pianist, Eschenbach has recorded extensively on Virgin Classics, CBS/Sony. EMI, Pickwick International, Ariola/RCA, and Deusche Grammophon.
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