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Lorin Maazel
The Medal of Honor for Lifetime Achievement in Music
Presented to Maestro Lorin Maazel, September 27, 2006
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The Music Committee will present conductor Lorin Maazel with its Medal of Honor for lifetime achievement on September 27, 2006. This back tie event is open to members only.
"I'm never looking for a perfect performance, I'm looking for an impassioned performance."
Soon after Lorin Maazel's debut at the revered Bayreuth Wagner Festival in 1960, Maestro Maazel was being referred to as a "legend in his own time." Perhaps it was that he was the first American to conduct this esteemed event or perhaps it was because — at the age of 30 — he was the youngest to achieve this task.
Most artists do not survive successes that early in their careers. Maazel did. In fact, by this point in his career, he had already been at it for 25 years.
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He began violin and conducting lessons at the age of five, studying with Vladimir Bakaleinikoff, and appearing publicly for the first time at age eight conducting a university orchestra. Between ages nine and 15, he conducted most of the major American orchestras.
Today, he's affectionately referred to as "numero uno" by many of his colleagues. He decries such titles, however, and believes that there is space in this world for every artist who has something individual and true to offer.
Enthusiastically recruited by the members of the New York Philharmonic and the orchestra's Board of Directors to become its Music Director as of September 2002, the maestro caps a career truly second to none.
The statistics are staggering:
- 5000 opera and concert performances with 150 orchestras.
- 300 recordings, including symphonic cycles and complete orchestral works of Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Mahler, Schubert and Richard Strauss
- Appearances in every major music center and at every prominent festival
- Two ASCAP awards for contributions to American music
- World premieres by scores of major and developing composers
- Hundreds of concerts as a violin soloist
- Scores of performances featuring his own compositions
- Raised millions of dollars on over 50 occasions for the benefit of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Wide Fund for Nature, the Red Cross and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
However, it is the quality of music making that counts.
Most connoisseurs feel that a maestro should combine the fusion of a Toscanini-like adherence to text and the fiery passionate approach of Victor de Sabata. Lorin Maazel's interpretations are re-creative experiences that bring an incredible vitality to the music.
Small wonder there is not an empty seat to be found at his concerts-whether in Tokyo, Sao Paolo, Sydney, London, Paris, Munich or Santiago di Compostela.
But, equally as important, Lorin Maazel takes great pride in numerous activities outside of the music world.
He is an active environmentalist. He and his wife, Dietlinde, have planted more than 3000 plants and trees on their Virginia estate and the Maestro has given some thirty benefit concerts for organizations like the World Wide Fund for Nature.
The Maazels have also built a modern theater on the property of their pre-civil war manor house where they give chamber music concerts, classical dance events, readings, plays and the occasional gala with colleagues such as Itzhak Perlman, Jose Carreras and Mstislav Rostropovich.
As well, Lorin Maazel has a special interest in the theater. He has read the complete plays of O'Neill, Ibsen, Chekhov, Pirandello, Racine, Shakespeare and others.
He speaks French, German and Italian fluently (and is quite strong in Portuguese, Russian and Spanish). The governments of France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Sweden have awarded Mr. Maazel with their highest honors (Légion d'honneur, Bundesverdienstkreuz)
He enjoys playing tennis, swimming and collecting American paintings and Oriental art.
This biography is taken from Maestro Maazel's official website Also on the site are interviews with colleagues, the Music Director's online diary, tour photos and much more.
Visit the New York Philharmonic website for a fascinating exploration of Maestro Maazel's career.
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