Neeme Järvi facts for kids
Neeme Järvi was born on June 7, 1937. He is a famous conductor from Estonia and the United States. A conductor is someone who leads an orchestra or choir.
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Early Life and Studies
Neeme Järvi grew up in Tallinn, Estonia. He started learning music there. Later, he studied in Leningrad, which is now in Russia. He learned from great teachers like Yevgeny Mravinsky.
Early in his career, Järvi worked with several orchestras in Estonia. These included the Estonian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra. He also worked with the Estonian National Opera. In 1971, he won a big conducting competition in Rome, Italy. In 1980, he moved to the United States with his family. He became an American citizen in 1985.
Leading Orchestras
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
In 1982, Järvi became the main conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in Sweden. He stayed in this role for 22 years. This was the longest time anyone had led the orchestra. During his time there, the orchestra became very well-known. They also made many recordings. Järvi helped the orchestra get money from Volvo. This allowed the orchestra to grow from 80 to 110 musicians. He left in 2004 but is still honored as their Principal Conductor Emeritus.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
While in Gothenburg, Järvi also led the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO). He was their Principal Conductor from 1984 to 1988. He made many important recordings with the RSNO. These included music by Sergei Prokofiev and Antonín Dvořák. He also recorded pieces by Richard Strauss and Dmitri Shostakovich. After a long break, he returned to conduct the RSNO in 2006. The orchestra then named him their Conductor Laureate.
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. It was to help the Philadelphia Orchestra during a difficult time. He did not ask for any money for this concert. Musicians in the US praised him for his kindness.
Other Orchestras
Järvi also led the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) starting in 2005. He helped them for several years. He also became the Chief Conductor of the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2005. He led them until 2013. In 2009, he was named music director of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. Later, in 2012, he became the artistic and musical director of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Switzerland.
His Musical Work
Neeme Järvi has made almost 500 recordings. These recordings are for famous music labels like BIS and Chandos. He is especially known for his performances of Romantic and 20th-century classical music. He has helped make the music of Estonian composers like Eduard Tubin and Arvo Pärt famous. He also premiered Arvo Pärt's Credo in 1968.
Järvi's recordings of Jean Sibelius with the Gothenburg Symphony are very popular. He has also recorded all of Edvard Grieg's orchestral music. This includes the complete music for the play Peer Gynt. He also recorded all three symphonies by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
Järvi used to teach a special summer class for conductors. It was called the Neeme Järvi Summer Academy. He also helped raise money for the Estonian Academy of Music. This school opened in 2000. In 2018, Järvi received a Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognized his many high-quality recordings.
Family Life
Neeme Järvi is married to Liilia. They have three children. Two of their children, Paavo Järvi and Kristjan Järvi, are also conductors. Their daughter, Maarika Järvi, is a flutist. 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
