Paavo Järvi

Paavo Järvi (Estonian pronunciation: [ˈpɑːʋo ˈjærʋi]; born 30 December 1962) is an Estonian conductor. He has been chief conductor of Zurich's Tonhalle since 2020. ^[1]

Paavo Järvi
Järvi in 2013
Background information
Born	(1962-12-30) 30 December 1962 (age 62) Tallinn, Estonia
Genres	Classical, contemporary
Occupation	Conductor

Early life

Järvi was born in Tallinn, Estonia (then occupied by the Soviet Union), to Liilia Järvi and the Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi. His siblings, Kristjan Järvi and Maarika Järvi, are also musicians. After leaving Estonia in 1980, the family settled in the United States. Järvi studied privately with Leonid Grin in Philadelphia, at the Curtis Institute of Music with Max Rudolf and Otto-Werner Mueller, and at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute with Leonard Bernstein. The family moved back to Estonia in the 1990s.

Anton Bruckner: Symphony no. 3, third movement, excerpt from a 2006 recording with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony

Career

From 1994 to 1997, Järvi was principal conductor of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra. From 1995 to 1998, he shared the title of principal conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra with Sir Andrew Davis. Järvi was musical director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from 2001 to 2011.^[2] The orchestra made a number of recordings for the Telarc label during Järvi's tenure. In May 2011, he was named the orchestra's Music Director Laureate. Since 2004, he has been the Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and an Artistic Advisor to the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. In 2006, Järvi became the Principal Conductor of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony,^[3] and served in the post until 2014. In 2010, he became Musical Director of the Orchestre de Paris,^[4] concluding his tenure in 2016, the same year in which he was named Artist of the Year by both Gramophone and Diapason magazines.^[5]

Järvi is the founder and artistic director of both the Pärnu Music Festival and the Estonian Festival Orchestra. Järvi first guest-conducted the Tonhalle Orchestra in 2009, and returned in December 2016.^[6] In May 2017, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich announced the appointment of Järvi as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2019–2020 season, with an initial contract of five years. In December 2022, the orchestra announced an extension of Järvi's contract as its chief conductor through the 2028-2029 season.^[7]

Outside of Europe, in June 2012, the NHK Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Järvi as its chief conductor, beginning in the 2015–2016 season, with an initial contract of three years,^[8] which was extended a further three years to 2021. In November 2019, the NHK Symphony announced an extension of his contract through August 2022,^[9] at which time he stood down as its chief conductor.^[10]

Järvi has recorded for such labels as RCA, Deutsche Grammophon, PENTATONE, Telarc, ECM, BIS and Virgin Records. His Virgin Classics recording of Sibelius Cantatas with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Estonian National Male Choir and Ellerhein Girls Choir won a Grammy Award for "Best Choral Performance".

Orchestras

• 1994–1997 Malmö Symphony Orchestra principal conductor
• 1995–1998 Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra principal conductor (with Sir Andrew Davis)
• 2001–2011 Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra musical director
• Since 2004 Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen artistic director
• Since 2004 Estonian National Symphony Orchestra artistic advisor
• 2006–2014 Frankfurt Radio Symphony principal conductor
• 2010–2016 Orchestre de Paris musical director
• 2015–2022 NHK Symphony Orchestra chief conductor
• Since 2019 Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich chief conductor

Personal life

Järvi has two daughters, Lea and Ingrid, from his past marriage to the violinist Tatiana Berman.^[11] Järvi was featured in the documentary Maestro, directed by David Donnelly. He obtained American citizenship in 1985.^[2]

Awards

• 2002: Award of the Estonian Cultural Endowment for the Performing Arts (outstanding performances of Estonian music abroad)
• 2004: Grammy Awards^[12]
• 2012: Hindemith Prize of the City of Hanau^[13]
• 2012: Estonian Radio – Musician of the Year
• 2012: Commandeur de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres^[14]
• 2012: Award of the Estonian Cultural Endowment for the Performing Arts (for organizing the Järvi Festival and the spectacular introduction of Estonian music on world stages)
• 2013: Order of the White Star, Estonia^[15]
• 2015: Sibelius Medal^[16]
• 2017: Estonian Music Council Music Award (for keeping Estonian music on the world map as a top conductor)
• 2019: Echo Klassik German major classical music award in the category "Conductor of the Year" for his recording of all of Jean Sibelius' symphonies with l'Orchestre de Paris^[17]
• 2024: Postimees Award for Cultural Mover for bringing Estonian music to the world, launching the Estonian Festival Orchestra and making it influential
• 2024: International Classical Music Award (ICMA) for the best symphonic music recording of the year (to Paavo Järvi and the Tonhalle Symphony Orchestra of Zurich for their recording of Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 8)^[18]