Yuri Ahronovich
Encyclopedia
Yuri Mikhaylovich Ahronovitch (Юрий Михайлович Аронович) (13 May 1932 –31 October 2002) was a Soviet
-born Israeli conductor.
Born in Leningrad
, he studied music and the violin from the age of 4. In 1954 he graduated as conductor from the Leningrad Conservatory
. He studied with Nathan Rachlin and Kurt Sanderling
. Invitations to conduct leading Russian orchestras followed, including the Leningrad Philharmonic and the Bolshoi Theatre
.
After conducting in Petrozavodsk and Saratov he was assigned to the Yaroslavl Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra 1956-1964, performing symphonic cycles by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky alongside Soviet music such as the works of Aram Khachaturian
and Tikhon Khrennikov
.
In 1964 he was appointed Chief Conductor of the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra and worked there until emigrating to Israel
in 1972.
His recordings for Melodiya, notably Shostakovich's First Symphony were well received in the West.
Immediate invitations followed to conduct and tour with major orchestras: the London Symphony Orchestra
, Israel Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony Orchestra
, Tokyo Yomiuri Orchestra, Teatro Alla Scala and others.
From 1975 to 1986 he was Chief Conductor of the Cologne
Philharmonic Orchestra (Guerzenich) and from 1982 to 1987 Chief Conductor of the Stockholm
Philharmonic Orchestra. Simultaneously Yuri Ahronovitch was also an opera conductor. He conducted at the London Royal Opera House Covent, the Lyric Opera in Chicago
, important Italian opera houses, the Royal Opera
in Stockholm
, Cologne
Opera, the Bavarian State Opera
in Munich
. He made a number of premiere recordings, mainly with the London Symphony, the Stockholm Philharmonic and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
Yuri Ahronovitch was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
from 1984, and in 1987 he was decorated by the King of Sweden as "Commander of the Royal Order of the Polar Star".
In 1988 in Jerusalem he was awarded the “Ettinger Prize for the Arts”. In Italy
Yuri Ahronovitch was awarded the prize “Arca d’Oro 1991” by the leading Italian newspaper La Stampa
and the University of Turin
. Yuri Ahronovitch conducted at numerous international music festivals, such as Bergen, Bregenz, Canary Islands, Florida, Israel, Locarno, Luzern, Munich, Savonnlina, Spoleto, Stresa, and Verona. He conducted his last concert with the Orchestre de Paris
in October 2002.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
-born Israeli conductor.
Born in Leningrad
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, he studied music and the violin from the age of 4. In 1954 he graduated as conductor from the Leningrad Conservatory
Saint Petersburg Conservatory
The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory is a music school in Saint Petersburg. In 2004, the conservatory had around 275 faculty members and 1,400 students.-History:...
. He studied with Nathan Rachlin and Kurt Sanderling
Kurt Sanderling
Kurt Sanderling, CBE was a German conductor.-Biography:Kurt Sanderling was born in Arys, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire to Jewish parents. After early work at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, he left for the Soviet Union in 1936, where he worked with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra...
. Invitations to conduct leading Russian orchestras followed, including the Leningrad Philharmonic and the Bolshoi Theatre
Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds performances of ballet and opera. The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world...
.
After conducting in Petrozavodsk and Saratov he was assigned to the Yaroslavl Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra 1956-1964, performing symphonic cycles by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky alongside Soviet music such as the works of Aram Khachaturian
Aram Khachaturian
Aram Ilyich Khachaturian was a prominent Soviet composer. Khachaturian's works were often influenced by classical Russian music and Armenian folk music...
and Tikhon Khrennikov
Tikhon Khrennikov
Tikhon Nikolayevich Khrennikov was a Russian and Soviet composer, pianist, leader of the Union of Soviet Composers, who was also known for his political activities...
.
In 1964 he was appointed Chief Conductor of the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra and worked there until emigrating to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1972.
His recordings for Melodiya, notably Shostakovich's First Symphony were well received in the West.
Immediate invitations followed to conduct and tour with major orchestras: the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
, Israel Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony Orchestra
Vienna Symphony Orchestra
-History:In 1900, Ferdinand Löwe founded the orchestra as the Wiener Concertverein . In 1913 it moved into the Konzerthaus, Vienna. In 1919 it merged with the Tonkünstler Orchestra. In 1933 it acquired its current name...
, Tokyo Yomiuri Orchestra, Teatro Alla Scala and others.
From 1975 to 1986 he was Chief Conductor of the Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
Philharmonic Orchestra (Guerzenich) and from 1982 to 1987 Chief Conductor of the Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
Philharmonic Orchestra. Simultaneously Yuri Ahronovitch was also an opera conductor. He conducted at the London Royal Opera House Covent, the Lyric Opera in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, important Italian opera houses, the Royal Opera
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
Opera, the Bavarian State Opera
Bavarian State Opera
The Bavarian State Opera is an opera company based in Munich, Germany.Its orchestra is the Bavarian State Orchestra.- History:The opera company which was founded under Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy has been in existence since 1653...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. He made a number of premiere recordings, mainly with the London Symphony, the Stockholm Philharmonic and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
Yuri Ahronovitch was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
Royal Swedish Academy of Music
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music or Kungl. Musikaliska Akademien, founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
from 1984, and in 1987 he was decorated by the King of Sweden as "Commander of the Royal Order of the Polar Star".
In 1988 in Jerusalem he was awarded the “Ettinger Prize for the Arts”. 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...
Yuri Ahronovitch was awarded the prize “Arca d’Oro 1991” by the leading Italian newspaper La Stampa
La Stampa
La Stampa is one of the best-known, most influential and most widely sold Italian daily newspapers. Published in Turin, it is distributed in Italy and other European nations. The current owner is the Fiat Group.-History:...
and the University of Turin
University of Turin
The University of Turin is a university in the city of Turin in the Piedmont region of north-western Italy...
. Yuri Ahronovitch conducted at numerous international music festivals, such as Bergen, Bregenz, Canary Islands, Florida, Israel, Locarno, Luzern, Munich, Savonnlina, Spoleto, Stresa, and Verona. He conducted his last concert with the Orchestre de Paris
Orchestre de Paris
The Orchestre de Paris is a French orchestra based in Paris. The orchestra performs most of its concerts at the Salle Pleyel.-History:In 1967, following the dissolution of the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, conductor Charles Munch was called on by the Minister of Culture,...
in October 2002.
Discography
- Rachmaninov - The Piano Concertos & Paganini Rhapsody
- Shostakovich - Symphony No.1
- Khachaturian - Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia