Kristjan Järvi
Encyclopedia
Kristjan Järvi is an Estonian
-American
conductor
. Järvi is the younger son of Neeme Järvi
, and the brother of conductor Paavo Järvi
and flutist Maarika Järvi.
When Järvi was age 7, his family emigrated to the United States
and settled in Rumson, New Jersey
. He grew up in New York City
. Järvi studied piano with Nina Svetlanova at the Manhattan School of Music
. He later went on to study conducting at the University of Michigan
under Kenneth Kiesler.
From 1998 to 2000, Järvi was Assistant Conductor to Esa-Pekka Salonen
at the Los Angeles Philharmonic
. He and the composer Charles Coleman co-founded the Absolute Ensemble, based in New York City
, in 1993, with Järvi as its music director. In 2007, Järvi and the Absolute Ensemble were awarded the Deutsche Bank Prize for Outstanding Artistic Achievement.
Järvi was Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Norrlands Opera Symphony Orchestra of Umeå in Sweden from 2000 to 2004. From 2004 to 2009, Järvi was Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Tonkünstler Orchestra
, Vienna. Järvi is also the current Artistic Advisor to the Basel
Chamber Orchestra and the conductor and founder of the Baltic Youth Philharmonic. In April 2011, Järvi was named the next chief conductor of the MDR
Symphony Orchestra (MDR Sinfonieorchester), with an initial contract of 3 years.
In addition to a Grammy nomination, Järvi has previously been awarded the German Record Critics Prize and a Swedish Grammy for the recording of Hilding Rosenberg
's opera "Isle of Bliss". He has recorded Leonard Bernstein
's Mass with the Tonkünstler Orchestra and Absolute Ensemble. While Järvi's repertoire includes pieces from the Classic and Romantic periods, he is also a specialist for 20th century composers and contemporary music, having commissioned works by Arvo Pärt
, Heinz Karl Gruber
, Erkki-Sven Tüür
, Ezequiel Viñao
, Peeter Vähi
and Joe Zawinul, among others. Järvi's philanthropic activities include founding the Estonian Orphanage Music Outreach foundation and the Absolute Academy in Bremen.
Järvi has a son, Lukas, from his first marriage to the violinist Leila Josefowicz
. He and his second wife, the flautist
Hayley Melitta, have three children, Finn Byron (born February 20, 2007), Avalon (born January 31, 2009), and Eden. The family makes their home in Vienna and Florida.
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. Järvi is the younger son of Neeme Järvi
Neeme Järvi
Neeme Järvi is an Estonian-born conductor.-Early life:Järvi studied music first in Tallinn, and later in Leningrad at the Leningrad Conservatory under Yevgeny Mravinsky, and Nikolai Rabinovich, among others...
, and the brother of conductor Paavo Järvi
Paavo Järvi
Paavo Järvi is an Estonian-American conductor, and current Music Director of the Orchestre de Paris.Järvi was born in Tallinn, Estonia, to conductor Neeme Järvi and Liilia Järvi. His siblings, Kristjan Järvi and Maarika Järvi, are also musicians...
and flutist Maarika Järvi.
When Järvi was age 7, his family emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and settled in Rumson, New Jersey
Rumson, New Jersey
Rumson is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,122.Rumson was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1907, from portions of Shrewsbury Township, based on the results of a...
. He grew up in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Järvi studied piano with Nina Svetlanova at the Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
. He later went on to study conducting at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
under Kenneth Kiesler.
From 1998 to 2000, Järvi was Assistant Conductor to Esa-Pekka Salonen
Esa-Pekka Salonen
Esa-Pekka Salonen is a Finnish orchestral conductor and composer. He is currently Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London and Conductor Laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.-Early career:...
at the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
. He and the composer Charles Coleman co-founded the Absolute Ensemble, based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, in 1993, with Järvi as its music director. In 2007, Järvi and the Absolute Ensemble were awarded the Deutsche Bank Prize for Outstanding Artistic Achievement.
Järvi was Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Norrlands Opera Symphony Orchestra of Umeå in Sweden from 2000 to 2004. From 2004 to 2009, Järvi was Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Tonkünstler Orchestra
Tonkünstler Orchestra
The Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich is an Austrian orchestra based in Vienna and St. Pölten, Lower Austria.-Origin of the name:The orchestra's name has its origins in the Tonkünstler-Sozietät, Wien, which was organizing concerts in the era of Haydn and Mozart...
, Vienna. Järvi is also the current Artistic Advisor to the Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
Chamber Orchestra and the conductor and founder of the Baltic Youth Philharmonic. In April 2011, Järvi was named the next chief conductor of the MDR
MDR
MDR or mdr may refer to:* "MDR" is abbreviation of Master Document Register.* "MDR" is abbreviation of "Mort de rire" in french .* Mammalian diving reflex* Mandar language* Marina del Rey, California...
Symphony Orchestra (MDR Sinfonieorchester), with an initial contract of 3 years.
In addition to a Grammy nomination, Järvi has previously been awarded the German Record Critics Prize and a Swedish Grammy for the recording of Hilding Rosenberg
Hilding Rosenberg
Hilding Rosenberg , was the first Swedish modernist composer, and one of the most influential figures in Swedish 20th century classical music....
's opera "Isle of Bliss". He has recorded Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
's Mass with the Tonkünstler Orchestra and Absolute Ensemble. While Järvi's repertoire includes pieces from the Classic and Romantic periods, he is also a specialist for 20th century composers and contemporary music, having commissioned works by Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt is an Estonian classical composer and one of the most prominent living composers of sacred music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs his self-made compositional technique, tintinnabuli. His music also finds its inspiration and influence from...
, Heinz Karl Gruber
Heinz Karl Gruber
Heinz Karl Gruber is an Austrian composer, bass player and singer, born in Vienna on 3 January 1943 and a leading figure of the so-called Third Viennese School.-Career:...
, Erkki-Sven Tüür
Erkki-Sven Tüür
Erkki-Sven Tüür is an Estonian composer.Tüür was born in Kärdla on the Estonian island of Hiiumaa. He studied flute and percussion at the Tallinn Music School from 1976 to 1980 and composition with Jaan Rääts at the Tallinn Academy of Music and privately with Lepo Sumera from 1980 to 1984...
, Ezequiel Viñao
Ezequiel Viñao
Ezequiel Viñao is an Argentine-American composer. He emigrated to the United States in 1980 and studied at the Juilliard School...
, Peeter Vähi
Peeter Vähi
Peeter Vähi, sometime also Peter Vähi or Peeter Vahi, is a classical Estonian composer.Vähi's work Relaxatio, written in 1992 and inspired by Asian intonal elements of Tibetan canticles, is considered a noted electronic work of psychotherapeutic music.- Discography :* A CHANT OF BAMBOO, Works: A...
and Joe Zawinul, among others. Järvi's philanthropic activities include founding the Estonian Orphanage Music Outreach foundation and the Absolute Academy in Bremen.
Järvi has a son, Lukas, from his first marriage to the violinist Leila Josefowicz
Leila Josefowicz
Leila Bronia Josefowicz , is an American/Canadian classical violinist.-Biography:Josefowicz was born in Missisauga, Ontario, Canada. When she was a young child her family moved to Los Angeles, California where she started studying violin at the age of three and a half using the Suzuki method...
. He and his second wife, the flautist
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
Hayley Melitta, have three children, Finn Byron (born February 20, 2007), Avalon (born January 31, 2009), and Eden. The family makes their home in Vienna and Florida.