Jonathan Nott
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Nott is an English
conductor
, the son of a priest at Worcester Cathedral
. He was a music student and choral scholar at the University of Cambridge
, and also studied singing and flute in Manchester at the Royal Northern College of Music
. Nott was also a conducting student in London. He left London to develop his conducting career in Germany via the traditional Kapellmeister
system.
Nott made his conducting debut in 1988 at the Opera Festival in Battignano, Italy
. In 1989, he was appointed Kapellmeister at the Frankfurt Opera. In 1991, he was appointed Erster Kapellmeister at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden
, and became interim chief conductor for the 1995–96 season. He later became music director at the Lucerne
Theatre and served as principal conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra from 1997 to 2002.
With the Berlin Philharmonic, Nott recorded several orchestral works of György Ligeti
as part of the Teldec contribution to the complete recorded works of Ligeti. Nott became music director of the Ensemble InterContemporain
(EIC) in 2000. He relinquished this post in 2003, and immediately took up the position of principal guest conductor of the EIC. He has held that title since then.
Nott became principal conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
in January 2000. With the orchestra, he made his New York City
conducting debut. Several years after his 2009 contract extension through the 2011-2012 season, in 2011, Nott and the orchestra agreed on a further extension of his contract with the Bamberg Symphony through the 2015-2016 season.
Nott and his wife Helen have three children.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, the son of a priest at Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester...
. He was a music student and choral scholar at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, and also studied singing and flute in Manchester at the Royal Northern College of Music
Royal Northern College of Music
The Royal Northern College of Music is a music school in Manchester, England. It is located on Oxford Road in Chorlton on Medlock, at the western edge of the campus of the University of Manchester and is one of four conservatories associated with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music...
. Nott was also a conducting student in London. He left London to develop his conducting career in Germany via the traditional Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
system.
Nott made his conducting debut in 1988 at the Opera Festival in Battignano, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In 1989, he was appointed Kapellmeister at the Frankfurt Opera. In 1991, he was appointed Erster Kapellmeister at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden
Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden
The Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden is the State Theatre of the German state Hesse in the capital Wiesbaden, producing operas, plays, ballets, musicals and concerts on four stages. It is also known as Staatstheater Wiesbaden or Theater Wiesbaden...
, and became interim chief conductor for the 1995–96 season. He later became music director at the Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
Theatre and served as principal conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra from 1997 to 2002.
With the Berlin Philharmonic, Nott recorded several orchestral works of György Ligeti
György Ligeti
György Sándor Ligeti was a composer of contemporary classical music. Born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania, he briefly lived in Hungary before becoming an Austrian citizen.-Early life:...
as part of the Teldec contribution to the complete recorded works of Ligeti. Nott became music director of the Ensemble InterContemporain
Ensemble InterContemporain
The Ensemble InterContemporain is a French chamber orchestra, based in Paris at the Cité de la musique and IRCAM, which specialises in contemporary classical music....
(EIC) in 2000. He relinquished this post in 2003, and immediately took up the position of principal guest conductor of the EIC. He has held that title since then.
Nott became principal conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
The Bamberg Symphony is a German orchestra based in Bamberg and well known for its artistic excellence and frequent international touring...
in January 2000. With the orchestra, he made his New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
conducting debut. Several years after his 2009 contract extension through the 2011-2012 season, in 2011, Nott and the orchestra agreed on a further extension of his contract with the Bamberg Symphony through the 2015-2016 season.
Nott and his wife Helen have three children.