Neeme Järvi facts for kids
Neeme Järvi (Estonian pronunciation: [ˈneːme ˈjærʋi]; born on June 7, 1937) is an Estonian American conductor. A conductor is someone who leads an orchestra or choir.
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Early Life and Studies
Neeme Järvi was born in Tallinn, Estonia. He started learning music there. Later, he studied in Leningrad (which is now Saint Petersburg, Russia) at the Leningrad Conservatory. He learned from important teachers like Yevgeny Mravinsky.
Early in his career, he worked with several orchestras and the opera house in Tallinn, Estonia. In 1971, he won first prize in a big competition for conductors in Rome, Italy. In 1980, Järvi and his family moved to the United States. He became an American citizen in 1985.
Leading Orchestras
Neeme Järvi has led many famous orchestras around the world.
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
In 1982, he became the main conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in Sweden. He stayed in this role for 22 years, which is the longest time anyone has held that position there. During his time in Gothenburg, the orchestra became much more famous and made many recordings. He also helped the orchestra get money from Volvo so they could have more musicians. He left this role in 2004 and is now their Principal Conductor Emeritus, which means he is an honored former conductor.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
At the same time, Järvi was also the main conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) in Scotland from 1984 to 1988. He made many important recordings with the RSNO. These included music by famous composers like Prokofiev, Dvořák, and Shostakovich. After not conducting them for nine years, he returned in 2006. The orchestra then named him their Conductor Laureate, another special title for an honored former conductor.
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
In the United States, Järvi became the Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1990. He led this orchestra until 2005. He is now their Music Director Emeritus. In 1996, Järvi conducted a special concert with two big orchestras, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. He did this for free to help raise money for the Philadelphia Orchestra.
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
In 2005, Järvi became the Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO). He had planned to stay for three years. The orchestra decided to sell a special collection of old string instruments. Järvi had said that getting these instruments was a big reason he joined the NJSO. In 2008, the orchestra announced that Järvi would finish his time as Music Director at the end of the 2008–2009 season. After that, he agreed to be their artistic adviser and was named their conductor laureate.
Other Orchestras
Järvi also became the Chief Conductor of the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2005. He stayed with them until the 2012–2013 season. In 2009, he was named the music director of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. However, he resigned in 2010 after the orchestra's director was dismissed. In 2010, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Switzerland chose Järvi as their artistic and musical director, starting in 2012.
His Music Recordings
Neeme Järvi has made over 400 recordings! These recordings are for different music labels like BIS, Chandos, and Deutsche Grammophon. He is especially known for his performances of Romantic and 20th-century classical music. He has also helped make the music of Estonian composers like Eduard Tubin and Arvo Pärt more famous. He even performed Arvo Pärt's Credo for the very first time in 1968.
His recordings of Jean Sibelius's music with the Gothenburg Symphony are also very well-known. He has recorded many pieces that are rarely heard in their full versions. This includes all of Edvard Grieg's orchestral music, like the complete music for the play Peer Gynt. He also recorded Tchaikovsky's full music for the play Snegurochka and all three symphonies by Rimsky-Korsakov.
He has also made special high-quality recordings (called SACD) of Tchaikovsky's complete symphonies and ballets. He also recorded music by composers like Mahler, Bruckner, and Wagner with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
Teaching and Awards
Järvi used to give a special annual class for conductors called the Neeme Järvi Summer Academy. It was held in Pärnu, Estonia, until 2008. Since 2009, it has been held during the Leigo Music days in South Estonia. He also helped raise money for the Estonian Academy of Music, which opened in 2000.
Because of his many excellent recordings, Järvi received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 Gramophone Awards. This award celebrates his long and successful career in music.
Family Life
Neeme Järvi and his wife Liilia have three children. Two of their children, Paavo Järvi and Kristjan Järvi, are also conductors, just like their father! Their daughter, Maarika Järvi, is a flautist (someone who plays the flute). After moving to the United States, the Järvi family first lived in Shrewsbury, New Jersey. Neeme Järvi and his wife now live in New York City.
See also
In Spanish: Neeme Järvi para niños
