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Christoph Eschenbach (Eric Brissaud)

Christoph Eschenbach

Christoph Eschenbach, Music Director of both the National Symphony Orchestra and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, is in great demand by the finest orchestras and opera houses the world over.A key project of his 2011-2012 season at the Kennedy Center is The Music of Budapest, Prague, and Vienna, in which he will participate as conductor, pianist, and mentor. He will lead the NSO in nine performances of six different programs and will give recitals with Matthias Goerne and Dan Zhu. Additional highlights of the current season include first NSO performances of repertoire by Jörg Widmann, Osvaldo Golijov, and a number of vocal programs. Christoph Eschenbach, Music Director of both the National Symphony Orchestra and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, is in great demand by the finest orchestras and opera houses the world over.

A key project of his 2011-2012 season at the Kennedy Center is The Music of Budapest, Prague, and Vienna, in which he will participate as conductor, pianist, and mentor. He will lead the NSO in nine performances of six different programs and will give recitals with Matthias Goerne and Dan Zhu. Additional highlights of the current season include first NSO performances of repertoire by Jörg Widmann, Osvaldo Golijov, and a number of vocal programs.

Maestro Eschenbach's schedule beyond Washington includes a tour of Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Macau with the Vienna Philharmonic; concerts with the London Philharmonic in London and Oman, with Yo-Yo Ma and Renée Fleming; and appearances with the Orchestre de Paris, NDR Sinfonieorchester, Munich Philharmonic, and Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. In this country, in addition to his performances with the National Symphony, he will appear as guest conductor with the Boston Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra, as well as the Houston Symphony. Recitals of three of Schubert's greatest song-cycles with Matthias Goerne are scheduled in Paris.

A prolific recording artist over five decades, Christoph Eschenbach has an impressive discography as both a conductor and a pianist on a number of prominent labels. His first recording with the National Symphony was released in May on the Ondine label, Remembering JFK. His previous recordings include works ranging from J.S. Bach to music of our time. Maestro Eschenbach's discography includes recordings with the Orchestre de Paris (Ondine and Deutsche Grammophon), London Symphony (Sony/BMG), Vienna Philharmonic (Decca), NDR Sinfonieorchester (BMG/Sony and Warner), and Houston Symphony (Koch), among others, and many performances as pianist. In recent years, Ondine has released many critically acclaimed recordings featuring Maestro Eschenbach with the Orchestre de Paris, Philadelphia Orchestra, and NDR Sinfonieorchester, several of which have received prestigious honors, including BBC Magazine's Disc of the Month, Gramophone's Editors' Choice, and the German Record Critics' Award. His recent Ondine recording of the music of Kaija Saariaho with the Orchestre de Paris and soprano Karita Mattila won the 2009 MIDEM Classical Award in Contemporary Music. Of particular note is his recording and filming of the full cycle of Mahler symphonies, available on his web site for free streaming.

Mentored by George Szell and Herbert von Karajan, Maestro Eschenbach's career has included music directorships of the Orchestre de Paris (2000-2010), Philadelphia Orchestra (2003-08), Ravinia Festival (1994-2003), NDR Sinfonieorchester (1998-2004), and Houston Symphony (1988-1999). As well, he has served as artistic director of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (1999-2002) and as chief conductor and artistic director of the Tonhalle-Orchestra (1982-1986). His many honors include the Légion d'Honneur; Commandeur dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres; Officer's Cross with Star and Ribbon of the German Order of Merit; and the Commander's Cross of the German Order of Merit for outstanding achievements. He also received the Leonard Bernstein Award from the Pacific Music Festival, where he was co-artistic director (1992-1998).

For more information, please visit www.christoph-eschenbach.com and www.nationalsymphony.org.

Video and Audio

NSO Youth Fellowship Regis Vogt

The NSO Youth Fellowship Program

The NSO Youth Fellowship Program

The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) Youth Fellowship Program is an orchestral training program for young musicians in grades 9-12 in the DC metropolitan area.

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NSO 2011-2012 Season Highlights Kennedy Center

NSO 2011-2012 Season Highlights

NSO 2011-2012 Season Highlights

National Symphony Orchestra Music Director Christoph Eschenbach gives an overview of the 2011-2012 NSO Classical season.

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Christoph Eschenbach Portrait Uncredited

Portrait Series: Christoph Eschenbach

Portrait Series: Christoph Eschenbach

Among the finest conductors the world over, Maestro Christoph Eschenbach became the Music Director of the NSO and the Kennedy Center in 2010. Explore Eschenbach's history: his life, his career, his passionate dedication to the arts.

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Images

Additional Resources

Eschenbach Reviewed on the Millennium Stage Review of Eschenbach's second Millennium Stage Recital
Hail, Eschenbach, All Hail Charles Downey on Christoph Eschenbach
Taking the Measure of the National Symphony Baltimore Sun Summary of First Eschenbach Season
Eschenbach serves notice of exciting era to come with National Symphony The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, MD (March 15, 2010)
New NSO Music Director: Christoph Eschenbach Eschenbach Appointed Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra
Christoph Eschenbach to Lead National Symphony The Washington Post, Washington, DC (Sept. 26, 2008) "Ending months of speculation and years of searching, the National Symphony Orchestra has chosen its next music director: the German conductor and pianist Christoph Eschenbach..."
NSO's Promising Date With Christoph Eschenbach The Washington Post, Washington, DC (Feb. 28, 2008) "In January, one of the Philadelphia Inquirer's music critics floated the possibility on his blog that Christoph Eschenbach would become the next music director of the NSO..."
Christoph Eschenbach's official website

Gift Shop Items

Remembering JFK with Maestro Eschenbach and the NSO - 2 CD Set (CD) Christoph Eschenbach and the National Symphony Orchestra make their first recording together, a live recording of the concerts the National Symphony ...
Price: $20.00
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Upcoming Events

National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Beethoven 5/31/2012 - 6/2/2012
Christoph Eschenbach returns with more breathtaking Beethoven, conducting Symphony No. 7. The Orchestra also premieres a new work under the auspices of the Hechinger Commissioning Fund and the Suite from Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier.
The Kennedy Center Chamber Players play Boccherini, Paganini & Mozart 6/3/2012 2:00 PM
The Kennedy Center Chamber Players play Mozart's Piano Quartet in G minor with Christoph Eschenbach, plus two works featuring guitar, Boccherini's "Fandango" Quintet and Paganini's Quartet No. 15 in A minor.
National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Claudio Bohórquez, cello, plays Lalo 6/7/2012 - 6/9/2012
Claudio Bohórquez, "an elegant artist who places his emphasis on song" (The Washington Post), brings that elegance to Lalo's Cello Concerto, conducted by Christoph Eschenbach. The program also features works by Berlioz and Tchaikovsky.
National Symphony Orchestra: Season Opening Ball Concert: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin 9/30/2012 7:00 PM
The season begins with a gala concert led by Music Director Christoph Eschenbach with the "fleet-fingered energy and poise" (The New York Times) of violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter performing Mendelssohn; and works by Beethoven, Sarasate, and Strauss.
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National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Kelley O'Connor, mezzo-soprano, sings Lieberson 10/4/2012 - 10/6/2012
Mezzo-soprano Kelley O'Connor brings her "vocally impassioned and daring" (The New York Times) singing to Lieberson's Neruda Songs as Christoph Eschenbach conducts a romantic program that also includes Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet.
National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Nathalie Stutzmann, contralto, sings Wagner Lieder 10/11/2012 - 10/13/2012
Richard Wagner said of his Wesendonck-Lieder, "I have done nothing better." Hear acclaimed contralto Nathalie Stutzmann sing this masterpiece led by Christoph Eschenbach on a program that includes a symphony by Wagner devotee Anton Bruckner.
National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Beethoven: Missa Solemnis 11/1/2012 - 11/3/2012
The NSO begins the third of its three-year exploration of Beethoven's works, as Maestro Eschenbach conducts the master's Mass Missa Solemnis. A star lineup of vocal talent helps bring this divine yet rarely performed work to life.
National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Lang Lang, piano, plays Beethoven 11/8/2012 - 11/10/2012
The brilliant yet young "superstar pianist" (The Washington Post) Lang Lang takes the stage with his friend and mentor Christoph Eschenbach for a three-perfomance series of Beethoven Concerti as part of the virtuoso's week in residency.
National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Tzimon Barto, piano, plays Bartók 1/17/2013 - 1/19/2013
"An American original" (The Washington Post), pianist Tzimon Barto returns to the NSO under the baton of mentor Christoph Eschenbach, playing Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 2, following his acclaimed 2011 appearance.
National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Dan Zhu, violin, plays Mozart 1/24/2013 - 1/26/2013
Making his NSO debut, Dan Zhu, "an artist of affecting humility and beautiful tone production" (The Strad), performs Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5. Maestro Eschenbach conducts a program that includes works by Beethoven and Bartók.
National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Pekka Kuusisto, violin, plays Lindberg 2/28/2013 - 3/2/2013
Christoph Eschenbach conducts violinist Pekka Kuusisto, whom The Guardian says "may be the best thing to happen to classical music in years." Hear him play Lindberg's Violin Concerto on a program that includes works by Sibelius and Saariaho.
National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Music of Mahler, Schubert & Mozart 3/7/2013 - 3/9/2013
Experience a program of vocal wonder in works by Mahler and Schubert, and Mozart's Requiem. Christoph Eschenbach conducts star vocalists, including mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter, and the University of Maryland Concert Choir.
National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Alisa Weilerstein, cello, plays Elgar 5/2/2013 - 5/4/2013
New York Magazine says of cellist Alisa Weilerstein, "whatever she plays sounds custom-composed for her, as if she has a natural affinity with everything." Hear her take on Elgar's Cello Concerto conducted by Christoph Eschenbach.
National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach, conductor / Music of Schnittke & Shostakovich 5/3/2013 8:00 PM
In a preview of the NSO's Carnegie Hall program Spring for Music: A Tribute to Slava, Maestro Eschenbach leads symphonies by two of 20th-century Russia's greatest composers, Dmitri Shostakovich and Alfred Schnittke.
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