Jorge Mester
Encyclopedia
Jorge Mester is a Mexican conductor of Hungarian
ancestry.
in New York
, and worked with Leonard Bernstein
at the Berkshire Music Center and with Albert Wolff. In 1955 he made his debut with the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico
and in 1960 made his opera debut with Salome
at the Spoleto Festival in Italy
.
Mester became music director of the Louisville Orchestra
in 1967 and served in the post until 1979. In this time he gave over 200 world premieres of works commissioned by the orchestra.
From 1970 to 1990, he was music director of the Aspen Music Festival
, and there founded the Aspen Chamber Symphony. He became music director of the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra in 1984. His most recent contract extension had been through 2012, but in May 2010, the orchestra announced the conclusion of Mester's tenure as music director with immediate effect.
In 1998, he became music director of the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2004, Mester is the music director of the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra in Naples, Florida
. Mester returned to Louisville in 2006 for his second tenure as music director of the Louisville Orchestra, on an "open-ended" contract of unfixed duration, until the orchestra secures a new music director, with Mester as a member of the search committee.
Mester has served as director of Juilliard's conducting department and conducted concerts and operas in the Thornton School of Music. In 1987, Mester participated in the documentary A Woman Is a Risky Bet: Six Orchestra Conductors
, directed by Christina Olofson, where he comments on the conservative attitudes towards women in the world of classical music.
Mester has a long-standing affiliation with Peter Schickele
and the P.D.Q. Bach
concerts, dating back to 1965, when he conducted the first public P.D.Q. Bach concert.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
ancestry.
Biography
He studied conducting with Jean Morel at the Juilliard SchoolJuilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and worked with Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
at the Berkshire Music Center and with Albert Wolff. In 1955 he made his debut with the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico
National Symphony Orchestra (Mexico)
The National Symphony Orchestra is the most important classical music and symphonic ensemble in Mexico. With its origins traced back as 1881, it is the second oldest symphony orchestra in the American continent along with the Boston Symphony Orchestra...
and in 1960 made his opera debut with Salome
Salome
Salome , the Daughter of Herodias , is known from the New Testament...
at the Spoleto Festival in 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...
.
Mester became music director of the Louisville Orchestra
Louisville Orchestra
The Louisville Orchestra is the primary orchestra in Louisville, Kentucky and has been called the cornerstone of the Louisville arts scene. It was founded in 1937 by Robert Whitney and Charles Farnsley, Mayor of Louisville...
in 1967 and served in the post until 1979. In this time he gave over 200 world premieres of works commissioned by the orchestra.
From 1970 to 1990, he was music director of the Aspen Music Festival
Aspen Music Festival and School
The Aspen Music Festival and School, founded in 1949, is an internationally renowned classical music festival that presents music in an intimate, small-town setting...
, and there founded the Aspen Chamber Symphony. He became music director of the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra in 1984. His most recent contract extension had been through 2012, but in May 2010, the orchestra announced the conclusion of Mester's tenure as music director with immediate effect.
In 1998, he became music director of the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2004, Mester is the music director of the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra in Naples, Florida
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of July 1, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 21,653. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839 on July 1, 2007...
. Mester returned to Louisville in 2006 for his second tenure as music director of the Louisville Orchestra, on an "open-ended" contract of unfixed duration, until the orchestra secures a new music director, with Mester as a member of the search committee.
Mester has served as director of Juilliard's conducting department and conducted concerts and operas in the Thornton School of Music. In 1987, Mester participated in the documentary A Woman Is a Risky Bet: Six Orchestra Conductors
A Woman Is a Risky Bet: Six Orchestra Conductors
A Woman Is a Risky Bet: Six Orchestra Conductors is a 1987 Swedish documentary film about women orchestra conductors directed by Christina Olofson.-Description:...
, directed by Christina Olofson, where he comments on the conservative attitudes towards women in the world of classical music.
Mester has a long-standing affiliation with Peter Schickele
Peter Schickele
Johann Peter Schickele is an American composer, musical educator, and parodist. He is best known for his comedy music albums featuring his music that he presents as music written by the fictional composer P. D. Q...
and the P.D.Q. Bach
P. D. Q. Bach
P. D. Q. Bach is a fictitious composer invented by musical satirist "Professor" Peter Schickele. In a gag that Schickele has developed over a five-decade-long career, he performs "discovered" works of this forgotten member of the Bach family...
concerts, dating back to 1965, when he conducted the first public P.D.Q. Bach concert.
Personal
Mester has been married twice. His first marriage ended in divorce. His second marriage, in 1985, was to the American mezzo-soprano Kimball Wheeler. He resides in Southern California and has a daughter named Amanda Mester.External links
- Biography from the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra
- Biography on Naxos
- Pasadena Symphony and Pops page on Jorge Mester
- Mester's Bio from the Louisville Orchestra
Interviews
- Jorge Mester interview by Bruce Duffie, July 14, 1994
- Jorge Mester interview with Doug Ordunio, recorded ca. 1995 for usage upon Aeromexico flights