Eckart Preu

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Eckart Preu
Eckart Preu, conductor of the Spokane Symphony, performing in Pavillion Park in Liberty Lake, WA. (43507860455).jpg
Preu in 2018
Born (1969-08-24) 24 August 1969 (age 56)
Erfurt, East Germany
Education MA
Alma materHochschule für Musik
Occupation Conductor
Employers
Website www.orchestraconductor.org/orchestraconductor.org

Eckart Preu (born 24 August 1969) is an East German-born conductor and music director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) in Maine, the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra in California and the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra in Ohio. He previously held the same position with the Spokane Symphony, the Stamford Symphony in Connecticut and the Orchestre International de Paris in France. [1] He has also been associate conductor of the Richmond Symphony in Virginia and resident conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra and the American Russian Young Artists Orchestra in New York.

Contents

Early life

Preu was born in Erfurt, East Germany, [2] in 1969. His father was a speech therapist. [3]

Preu began voice lessons at the age of 4 and, the following year, began to learn the piano. [3] At the age of 10, he became a member, soloist [4] and assistant conductor of the Boys Choir Dresdner Kreuzchor. [5] In Germany, he earned a master's degree in conducting from the Hochschule für Musik in Weimar, studying under Gunther Kahlert and Nicolás Pasquet. [6] He also studied under Jean-Sebastien Bereau at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in France. [7]

Emigration to the United States

Preu came to the United States as winner of the National Conducting Competition of the German Academic Exchange Service (1996) [8] for graduate studies with Harold Farberman at the Hartt School of Music.

In 2019, Preu became the music director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) in Portland, Maine, succeeding Robert Moody after a decade in the role. [9] He joined the PSO from Spokane Symphony in Spokane, Washington, [10] [11] having worked there for fifteen years. [12] He has also been music director of the Stamford Symphony in Stamford, Connecticut, since 2005. [13] In October 2016, he was named music director for the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. For three seasons, he was associate conductor of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra in Virginia. He also served as resident conductor with the American Symphony Orchestra and the American Russian Young Artists Orchestra. [14] Former posts include music director of the Norwalk Youth Symphony and principal conductor of the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra in New York. [15] He was both assistant and guest conductor at the Bard Music Festival. In Europe, Preu served as music director of L'Orchestre Internationale de Paris from 1993 to 1995.

As a guest conductor, Preu has appeared with the Jerusalem Symphony, [16] Hungary's Pecs Philharmonic and in Germany with the Jenaer Philharmonie, [17] the Hallesche Philharmonie, [18] the Thüringer Kammerorchester and the Landessinfonieorchester Gotha. [19]

He performed at Carnegie Hall in May 1999 and January 2008, and at the Sorbonne in Paris. His concerts have been aired by WPKT Stamford, KPBX Spokane, [20] WCVE Richmond [21] and Jerusalem Radio. He has collaborated with internationally renowned soloists like Richard Stoltzman, Horacio Gutierrez, Vladimir Feltsman, Jean-Philippe Collard, Leila Josefowicz and Sarah Chang. [22]

Preu is also a frequent guest speaker for local businesses, community organisations and schools. He writes monthly articles for the local newspaper, the Stamford Advocate.

Personal life

Preu is married to Neeley, with whom (as of 2019) he has two daughters. [23]

References

  1. ↑ "Music Director, Eckart Preu - Long Beach Symphony". longbeachsymphony.org.
  2. ↑ Gelfand, Janelle. "Eckart Preu to lead Chamber Orchestra". The Enquirer. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  3. 1 2 "In season 9 with symphony, Preu still conducts from the heart". Spokesman.com. 2012-09-16. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  4. ↑ Kreuzchor recording
  5. ↑ Kreuzchor, Dresdner. "Dresdner Kreuzchor — ER IST DRESDENS BEKANNTESTER UND SYMPATHISCHSTER BOTSCHAFTER. ER FEIERT 2016 SEINEN 800. GEBURTSTAG. DER DRESDNER KREUZCHOR". www.kreuzchor.de.
  6. ↑ "Hochschule für Musik FRANZ LISZT Weimar". www.hfm-weimar.de.
  7. ↑ "CNSMPD Home page". Archived from the original on 2006-12-06.
  8. ↑ DAAD
  9. ↑ "Portland Symphony Orchestra renews music director's contract, announces next season". The Portland Press Herald. 2022-04-11. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  10. ↑ "After 15 years, Eckart Preu sets down his Spokane Symphony baton". Spokesman.com. 2019-04-29. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  11. ↑ "It's a homecoming for Eckart Preu who returns to serve up Bruckner and Wagner". Spokesman.com. 2023-03-02. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
  12. ↑ Spokane Symphony
  13. ↑ Stamford Symphony
  14. ↑ "Home Page". www.aryoonline.org. Archived from the original on 2006-12-16. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
  15. ↑ New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra
  16. ↑ "Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra - IBA". Archived from the original on 2006-12-08. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
  17. ↑ "Jenaer Philharmonie - Jena Online".
  18. ↑ "Erleben Sie unser nächstes Konzert". Archived from the original on 2005-02-07. Retrieved 2019-08-02.
  19. ↑ "Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach". www.thueringen-philharmonie.de.
  20. ↑ "Spokane Public Radio". www.kpbx.org.
  21. ↑ "WCVE Richmond PBS". Archived from the original on 2006-12-09. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
  22. ↑ "Music Director". Portland Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
  23. ↑ "'My gardening job is done': Face of the Spokane Symphony takes new job in Maine". krem.com. 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
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