St. Louis Symphony
Founded in 1880, the St. Louis Symphony is the second-oldest orchestra in the country and
is widely considered one of the world's finest. In September 2005, internationally
acclaimed conductor David Robertson became the 12th music director and second American-born
conductor in the orchestra's history. In its 132nd season, the St. Louis Symphony continues
to strive for artistic excellence, fiscal responsibility, and community connection.
The St. Louis Symphony is one of only a handful of major American orchestras invited to
perform annually at Carnegie Hall. Recordings by the orchestra have been honored with six
Grammy Awards and 56 Grammy nominations over the years. The orchestra has embraced
technological advances in music distribution by offering recordings over the internet. The
St. Louis Symphony download initiative includes live recordings of John Adams's
Harmonielehre, Szymanowski's Violin Concerto No. 1 with Christian Tetzlaff, and
Scriabin's The Poem of Ecstasy, available exclusively on iTunes and amazon.com. In
2009, the symphony's Nonesuch recording of John Adams's Doctor Atomic Symphony and
Guide to Strange Places reached No. 2 on the Billboard rankings for
classical music, and was named Best CD of the Decade by TheTimes of
London.
In September 2012, the St. Louis Symphony embarks on its first European tour with Music
Director David Robertson. The symphony visits international festivals in Berlin and
Lucerne, with stops in Paris and London as well, performing works by Beethoven, Brahms,
Sibelius, Schoenberg, Gershwin, Ives, and Elliott Carter. Christian Tetzlaff joins the
symphony as featured soloist. The tour is fully funded by corporate sponsor Monsanto and a
group of anonymous donors.
In June 2008, the St. Louis Symphony launched Building Our Business, which takes
a proactive, two-pronged approach: Build audiences and re-invigorate the St. Louis Symphony
brand, making the symphony and Powell Hall the place to be; and build the donor
base for enhanced institutional commitment and donations. This is all part of a larger
strategic plan adopted in May 2009 that includes new core ideology and a 10-year strategic
vision that focuses on artistic and institutional excellence, doubling the existing
audience, and revenue growth across all key operating areas.
David Robertson
A consummate musician, masterful programmer, and dynamic presence, David Robertson has
established himself as one of today's most sought-after American conductors. A passionate
and compelling communicator with an extensive knowledge of orchestral and operatic
repertoire, he has forged close relationships with major orchestras around the world
through his exhilarating music making and stimulating ideas. In the fall of 2011, Mr.
Robertson began his seventh season as music director of the 132-year-old St. Louis
Symphony, while continuing as principal guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, a
post he has held since 2005.
Mr. Robertson's guest engagements in the US include performances with the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's,
Ensemble ACJW, and the New York Philharmonic, where Mr. Robertson is a regular guest
conductor. In May 2012, Mr. Robertson returns to the Metropolitan Opera to conduct
Britten's Billy Budd with Nathan Gunn and James Morris in the leading roles.
Internationally, guest engagements include the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, where Mr.
Robertson appears regularly; the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, as part of Music
Viva; and several concerts with the BBC Symphony. In addition to his fresh
interpretations of traditional repertoire, this season Mr. Robertson conducts world
premieres of Graham Fitkin's Cello Concerto with the BBC Symphony and cellist Yo-Yo Ma;
John Cage's Eighty with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra;
Providence, a newly commissioned work by Dutch composer Klaas de Vries, with the
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; and new works by Yann Robin and Michael Jarrell with the New
York Philharmonic.
A champion of young musicians, Mr. Robertson has devoted time to working with students and
young artists throughout his career. On February 5, 2012, he conducted the Orchestra of St.
Luke's and a chorus of New York City students in the Carmina Burana Choral Project
at Carnegie Hall. The program included Orff's seminal work, as well as new works written by
three high school-aged composers based on musical themes from Carmina
Burana.