LSM Newswire

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Celebrated Conductor Uri Mayer Joins The Royal Conservatory

Dr. Peter Simon, President of The Royal Conservatory, and James Anagnoson, Dean of The Glenn Gould School, are pleased to announce that conductor Uri Mayer has been appointed Director of The Glenn Gould School Orchestral Programme and Resident Conductor.

’ÄúHis vast experience coupled with his past association with The Royal Conservatory make him a perfect fit,’Äù says Dr. Peter Simon. ’ÄúThis new position will enable the Royal Conservatory Orchestra to double the amount of performances, and will allow our students to learn from one of Canada’Äôs most respected conductors.’Äù

Prior to his appointment at The Royal Conservatory, Mr. Mayer taught at the faculties of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, McGill University in Montreal, and Rice University Shepherd School of Music in Houston. Later this month he will receive an honorary Doctorate of Music (D. Mus.) from the University of Western Ontario.

’ÄúMaestro Mayer has conducted our orchestra on numerous occasions in recent years, and we quickly realized that he is an excellent pedagogue as well as an outstanding conductor,’Äù says Mr. Anagnoson. ’ÄúWe are confident that this appointment will add a valuable new dimension to the growing orchestral programme at The Glenn Gould School.’Äù

Born in Romania, Uri Mayer grew up in Israel, where he studied viola and conducting at the University of Tel Aviv. On the recommendation of Leonard Bernstein, he continued to further his education at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, where he was awarded a Post Graduate Diploma with a double major in orchestral conducting and viola.

An accomplished violist, Mayer won prizes at the Munich and Geneva International Viola Competitions, and held the position of Principal Viola of the American Symphony in New York and the Montreal Symphony. He has also received important prizes at the International Conducting Competitions in Budapest and Katowice.

Noted for his strong command of a broad repertoire, Maestro Mayer has conducted symphony orchestras all over the globe. He served as Principal Conductor of the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra in Osaka, Japan, and Artistic Director of the Israel Sinfonietta. In Canada, he was Music Director of the Edmonton Symphony and of Orchestra London, and appeared regularly as guest conductor for the National Ballet of Canada. Some of the distinguished soloists who have collaborated with Mr. Mayer include Ely Ameling, Kathleen Battle, Frederica von Stade, Peter Oundjian, Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, Yo-Yo Ma, Janos Starker, Mstislav Rostropovich, Emanuel Ax, and Andrˆ°s Schiff. Maestro Mayer has recorded for the Arabesque, CBC, Denon Japan, Hungaroton, and Koch labels. He has also taped numerous concerts for television companies in Canada, Germany, Hungary, Israel, and Japan.

The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory is an internationally recognized centre for professional training in music performance at the bachelor and graduate levels. The School provides an intimate training environment, with a curriculum designed to prepare gifted young musicians for all aspects of a professional career. Founded in 1987, The Glenn Gould School was renamed to honour Canada's legendary pianist in 1997.

Founded in 1886, The Royal Conservatory is the largest and oldest independent arts educator in Canada. It is an internationally renowned centre for performance and learning, providing opportunities for personal development through music and arts education in over 300 communities across Canada and a dozen countries around the world. Each year more than 500,000 Canadians take part in RCM programs, exams, and public school initiatives.

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