Victor Yampolsky

Last updated • 3 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Victor Yampolsky (born 1942) is a Russian-born conductor and the son of pianist Vladimir Yampolsky. He was most recently director of orchestras at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music, a position he had held from 1984 to 2022. He is the music director emeritus of the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, where he was music director from 1995 to 2004. [1] He also is the music director of the Peninsula Music Festival and the honorary director of the Scotia Festival of Music in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. [2] Before his appointment to the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, Yampolsky served as the principal conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of South Africa and as the resident conductor of the Chicago Civic Orchestra, the training ground for younger musicians under the auspices of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. [3]

Contents

Early life

Yampolsky was born in the Soviet Union in 1942. He is the son of noted pianist Vladimir Yampolsky. According to his biography, Yampolsky "studied violin with the legendary David Oistrakh at the Moscow Conservatory (1961–1966) and conducting with Maestro Nikolai Rabinovich at the Leningrad Conservatory (1968–1973). He was a member of the Moscow Philharmonic as both violinist and assistant conductor, under the direction of renowned Maestro Kyrill Kondrashin." [2] Yampolsky holds a bachelor's degree in conducting from the Leningrad Conservatory and a second bachelor's degree and artist diploma in violin performance from the Moscow Conservatory.

Emigration from U.S.S.R.

Yampolsky left the Soviet Union in 1973 when a recommendation from Zubin Mehta led to an audition for Leonard Bernstein, who offered Yampolsky a scholarship at Tanglewood Music Center. Two weeks later, Yampolsky accepted a position in the violin section of the Boston Symphony (1973). He was later appointed the orchestra's principal second violinist (1975–1977). [4]

Conductor

Yampolsky left the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1977 to become the music director of the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The orchestra was Canada's only professional regional ensemble; Yampolsky was at its helm until financial problems caused its disbanding in 1983. At the same time, he also accepted a position as conductor of the Young Artists Orchestra at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. [4] In 1979, he was appointed adjunct professor of violin and director of orchestras at the Boston University School of Music. He was principal conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra in Johannesburg from 1993 to 1994. He also was resident conductor of the Chicago Civic Orchestra until 1997.

Omaha Symphony

Yampolsky was appointed music director of the Omaha Symphony Orchestra beginning with the 1995 season after the Omaha orchestra's two-year search process that included seven candidates, including Marin Alsop, Robert Spano and Fabio Mechetti. [5] He replaced Bruce Hangen, who had directed the Omaha Symphony since 1984 and went on to become principal conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra's youth concerts and the Boston Pops until 2006.

The symphony orchestra produced its first commercial recording, "Take Flight," under Yampolsky's baton in 2002. The symphony under Yampolsky also performed the world premiere of Philip Glass's Piano Concerto No. 2 (After Lewis and Clark). [6]

In 1997, the Utah Symphony disclosed that Yampolsky was among 12 vying to be its music director. "Utah Symphony president and CEO Donald L. Andrews confirmed that Yampolsky was invited to be a candidate several months ago, but until now, he preferred to have his candidacy kept confidential," according to a 1997 Deseret News article. [7] Yampolsky was not chosen for the Utah post.

The Omaha Symphony's board of directors in 2004 declined to renew Yampolsky's contract, saying board members wanted someone more "charismatic" to lead the orchestra in the future as it moved to its $100 million purpose-built symphony hall, the 2,005-seat Holland Performing Arts Center. Orchestra members were said to be "devastated." "Everybody's in tears," Willis Ann Ross, a former second flutist with the symphony told the Omaha World-Herald. "Number one, Victor doesn't want to leave. And secondly ... it's simply the wrong time, from every level." [8] The symphony hired Thomas Wilkins to lead the orchestra in 2005; Yampolsky retained the title music director emeritus. [9]

Guest conducting

Yampolsky has conducted more than 80 professional and student orchestras throughout the world, including repeat engagements with orchestras in the United States, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, the Czech Republic and Chile. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Symphony Orchestra</span> American symphony orchestra in Boston

The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in 1881, the BSO performs most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at Tanglewood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Munch (conductor)</span>

Charles Munch was an Alsatian French symphonic conductor and violinist. Noted for his mastery of the French orchestral repertoire, he was best known as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seiji Ozawa</span> Japanese conductor (1935–2024)

Seiji Ozawa was a Japanese conductor known internationally for his work as music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and especially the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), where he served from 1973 for 29 years. After conducting the Vienna New Year's Concert in 2002, he was director of the Vienna State Opera until 2010. In Japan, he founded the Saito Kinen Orchestra in 1984, their festival in 1992, and the Tokyo Opera Nomori in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Klaus Tennstedt</span> German orchestral conductor (1926–1998)

Klaus Hermann Wilhelm Tennstedt was a German conductor from Merseburg. Known for his interpretation of the Austro-German repertoire, especially his sympathetic approaches towards Gustav Mahler, Tennstedt is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential conductors of the late 20th century. He worked with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the NDR Symphony Orchestra, and other highly regarded ensembles such as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and most notably the London Philharmonic Orchestra, with which he was closely associated and recorded many of his celebrated recordings under the EMI label, including a cycle of Mahler's 10 symphonies.

Kenneth Dewitt Schermerhorn was an American composer and orchestra conductor. He was the music director of the Nashville Symphony from 1983 to 2005.

Eiji Oue is a Japanese conductor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Silverstein</span> American violinist and conductor

Joseph Harry Silverstein was an American violinist and conductor.

The Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music is the music and performance arts school of Northwestern University. It is located on Northwestern University's campus in Evanston, Illinois, United States.

Lan Shui is an American conductor. He was the Music Director of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra from 1997 to 2019. He has retired as Music Director on 26 January 2019, and was given the title of Conductor Laureate by chairman of the SSO Mr Goh Yew Lin.

Thierry Fischer is a Swiss orchestra conductor and flutist.

James Paul is an American conductor. He is currently the music director of the Oregon Coast Music Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omaha Symphony Orchestra</span> Professional orchestra

The Omaha Symphony is a professional orchestra performing more than 200 concerts and presentations annually in Omaha, Nebraska and throughout the orchestra's home region. The orchestra was established in 1921. It is considered a major American orchestra, classified under "Group 2" among the League of American Orchestras, which ranks symphony orchestras by annual budget, with Group 1 the largest and Group 8 the smallest. Its annual budget in 2022 was approximately $8.4 million. The orchestra's home and principal venue is the 2,005-seat Holland Performing Arts Center, the $100 million purpose-built facility designed by Polshek Partnership that opened in October 2005. In a review, The Dallas Morning News called the Holland "one of the country's best-sounding" symphony halls.

Doriot Anthony Dwyer was an American flutist. She was one of the first women to be awarded principal chair for a major U.S. orchestra. She was the principal flute for the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1952 until 1990. She was second flute for the National Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She was an adjunct professor of Music at Boston University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra</span> Orchestra based in Cape Town, South Africa

The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) is an orchestra based in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.

Thomas Alphonso Wilkins is an American orchestra conductor. He is Music Director Laureate of the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, Principal Conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Artistic Advisor, Education and Community Engagement of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Virginia Symphony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Lockhart</span> American conductor (born 1959)

Keith Alan Lockhart is an American conductor. He is the Conductor of the Boston Pops orchestra, the Chief Guest Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra, and the Artistic Director of the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina.

Lawrence Golan is an American orchestral conductor and violinist. He is the Music Director of the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra in Colorado, the Yakima Symphony Orchestra in Washington state, the York Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania, and the Lamont Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre at the University of Denver where he is director of orchestral studies and professor of conducting at the Lamont School of Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black conductors</span>

Black conductors are musicians of African, Caribbean, African-American ancestry and other members of the African diaspora who are musical ensemble leaders who direct classical music performances, such as an orchestral or choral concerts, or jazz ensemble big band concerts by way of visible gestures with the hands, arms, face and head. Conductors of African descent are rare, as the vast majority are male and Caucasian.

Leone Buyse was the Joseph and Ida K. Mullen Professor of Flute and Chair of Woodwinds at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music. Prior to a full-time career teaching, Buyse spent over 22 years as an orchestral flutist, including a decade from 1983-1993 as Principal Flute of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops Orchestra. Other orchestral positions include Rochester Philharmonic as solo piccolo and second flute, and assistant principal of San Francisco Symphony. In addition to the Shepherd School, she has held faculty positions at the New England Conservatory, Boston University, University of Michigan, as visiting professor at the Eastman School of Music and numerous summer festivals including the Tanglewood Institute. Her primary teachers include Marcel Moyse, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Michel Debost and Joseph Mariano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Rowe (flutist)</span> American flutist (born 1974)

Elizabeth Rowe is an American flutist and leadership coach, known for being the principal flutist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 2004 to 2024 and for a gender discrimination lawsuit.

References

  1. "Victor Yampolsky: Bienen School of Music - Northwestern University". Music.northwestern.edu. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Victor Yampolsky - New Mexico Philharmonic | New Mexico Philharmonic". Nmphil.org. 13 June 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  3. "Utah to get first look at surprise conductor candidate". 6 July 1997. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "The Peninsula Music Festival - Victor Yampolsky, Music Director". Musicfestival.com. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  5. MacMillan, Kyle (29 September 1994). "World-Herald Staff Writer". Omaha World-Herald.
  6. "MATA » Philip Glass". Matafestival.org. 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  7. "Yampolsky among 12 vying for post". Deseret News. 8 June 1997. Archived from the original on August 2, 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  8. Keenan, John (27 June 2003). "Retired flutist says musicians 'in tears' The decision not to extend the contract of the Omaha Symphony conductor draws criticism". Omaha World-Herald.
  9. Keenan, John (June 30, 2003). "Musicians laud their leader Yampolsky credited with revitalizing the Omaha Symphony". Omaha World-Herald.
  10. "Victor Yampolsky". Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University. Retrieved 2 August 2013.