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The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra has found itself in the care of a series of well-qualified music directors, including Eugene Goossens, José Iturbi, Erich Leinsdorf, David Zinman, and Christopher Seaman. Through touring (including performances at Carnegie Hall) and recordings, the orchestra has been a presence among other American orchestras. Its recordings, especially, continue to draw the attention of the public outside the Rochester, New York area.

The Rochester Philharmonic was founded in 1922 by George Eastman. Eugene Goossens became the music director upon coming to America in 1923. Goossens frequent guest appearances with other American orchestras focused attention on his fledgling symphony in Rochester. The RPO made respectable progress during his eight years there before he accepted a call to Cincinnati in 1931. The next prominent figure arrived for the 1936-1937 season in the person of pianist and conductor José Iturbi. After guest concerts led during the previous season, Iturbi was appointed music director and served the RPO until 1947. His tenure was not without controversy; remarks considered demeaning by many women and other comments taken by the press to have been pro-Fascist kept his name before the pre-WWII public for reasons other than musical. Upon Iturbi's departure, Erich Leinsdorf moved from the Cleveland Orchestra to assume duties as the RPO's music director. Later, David Zinman distinguished himself in Rochester before moving on to Baltimore. Several celebrity guest conductors have led the RPO, as well, including Fritz Reiner, Sir Thomas Beecham, Leonard Bernstein, and Leopold Stokowski. Christopher Seaman brought to his 1997 appointment as RPO music director experience as principal conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony and the Northern Sinfonia. Seaman remained in this role until 2011, when he was named conductor laureate. Arild Remmereit assumed the position from 2011-2013, and in 2014, the RPO named Ward Stare as music director.

Performing more than 140 concerts per year, the RPO addresses several constituencies. In addition to subscription symphony concerts, a pops program has grown under principal pops conductor Jeff Tyzik. To address the music education needs of the greater Rochester community, the orchestra has a principal conductor for education and outreach, the first such position among major American orchestras. Michael Butterman served in this role from 2000-2018. In sum, more than 350,000 patrons are served by RPO concerts each season, many of them first-time orchestra attendees.

The RPO has recorded for several labels, including Vox, Harmonia Mundi, and Azica. On the latter, the RPO released American Rapture, under Stare, with harpist Yolanda Kondonassis in 2019, won a Grammy Award. ~ Erik Eriksson

David Zinman is an American conductor, well known for his broad repertoire with large emphasis on new music from North America and Europe. His own instrument was the violin, which he studied at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in Ohio. He took a Masters in composition at the University of Minnesota in 1963. During the same period he attended the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood. French conductor Pierre Monteux noticed him, leading to Zinman's enrolling in Monteux's conducting school in Maine. From 1961 to 1963 Zinman served as Monteux's assistant, and he considers Monteux his primary mentor.

He appeared as a guest conductor at the Nederlands Kammerorkest, after which the organization engaged him as its conductor. He held that position from 1965 to 1977. His success in Holland led one of the country's leading full-size orchestras, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, to invite him to be its music director (1979-82). He also conducted at the Holland Festival. In the meantime he had been music adviser (1972-74) and music director (1974-85) of the Rochester (NY) Philharmonic. In 1983 he became principal guest conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. This association was elevated to the position of music director in 1985.

Zinman has been known for a very broad repertoire and innovative programming. In Baltimore he added a summer music festival, a discovery series of contemporary music, and Saturday morning "Casual Concerts," with commentary by the conductor. His highly acclaimed recordings on such labels as Telarc, Argo, and Sony Classics include music as traditional as the Elgar symphonies and overtures and as unusual as Michael Daugherty's Metropolis Symphony, based on characters and situations from the Superman comic books.

Zinman's many recordings have received numerous awards and distinctions. Most notable is the spectacular popularity of his 1990 recording of Górecki's Third Symphony for Nonesuch, which became one of the most commercially successful classical recordings ever produced. He has also received a Gramophone Award, two Grands Prix du Disque, two Edison Prizes, and five Grammy Awards.

He has helped spark interest in a new school of tonal American symphonic composition that rejected the abstruse, international sound of the 12-tone music that dominated the world of "serious" clasical music from about 1950 to 1980. This more audience-friendly music featured harmonic languages and the driving rhythms characteristic of much American popular music and jazz. Although the music has been criticized fot not being progressive, the presence of these elements thrills many in the established audience, and has helped attract a new one. Composers whose work he has promoted include Christopher Rouse, Michael Torke, Aaron Jay Kernis, and Richard Danielpour.

In 1998 Zinman stepped down from his Baltimore position, but continued as music director and chief conductor of the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra (since 1995, with his contract extending to 2014). He was also music director of the Aspen Music Festival from 1985 until 2009.