Internationally acclaimed conductor and music director of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, David Robertson, will present a talk for the Assembly Series at 4 p.m., Wednesday, September 20 in Graham Chapel.
This month, David Robertson begins his second season as music director of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and continues as Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Acclaimed by critics as one of the most important conductors of his generation, he is respected internationally for his dynamic interpretations and extensive command of core orchestral and operatic repertoire. This, combined with his expertise in 20th and 21st century music, has earned him a strong following.
Besides Robertson’s leadership roles, he is a champion of young musicians and has throughout his career devoted time to work with students and young artists. Dedicated to making classical music accessible to everyone, he is actively involved in community outreach and in addition conducts the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra and the In Unison Chorus – a diverse chorus representing singers from African-American churches.
Robertson’s previous roles include the post of Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Artistic Director of Lyon’s Auditorium from 2000 to 2004. He was the first to hold both positions simultaneously and has forged strong relationships with major orchestras worldwide. His guest appearances include the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris and the Staatsorchester in Munich. Domestically he regularly guest conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the San Francisco Symphony. Robertson has an extensive operatic repertoire and has worked with many European and American opera companies.
Born in Santa Monica, California, Robertson studied French horn, composition and conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He has made numerous recordings on various labels and in 1997 he received the Seaver/National Endowment for the Arts Conductor Award. Musical America named Robertson Conductor of the Year in 1999.
The lecture is free, open to the public and will be held in Graham Chapel, located just north of Mallinckrodt Center, 6445 Forsyth Blvd., on the Washington University Danforth Campus. For more information about the Assembly Series lectures, call (314) 935-5285 or visit the Assembly Series Web page (http://assemblyseries.wustl.edu).