Lawrence Foster
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Foster is an American conductor.
He became the conductor of the San Francisco Ballet
at the age of 18, and served as Assistant Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
under Zubin Mehta
. He went on to conduct many of the world's finest orchestras, and he held Music Director positions with the Houston Symphony, the Orchestre National de Monte Carlo, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
, and the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya
in Spain.
In late 1989, he was the odds-on favorite to be named Music Director of the Pacific Symphony
of Orange County, California
. In December 1989, the orchestra offered Foster the position, and he accepted in principle. Contract negotiations began, and Foster began planning his schedule and the orchestra's programs for the coming years. However, in February 1990, Foster revealed that the offer had been rescinded, largely due to concerns about his salary and that his involvement with his Monte Carlo post would limit his level of commitment in California:
Since 2002, he has been the music director
of the Gulbenkian Orchestra
of Lisbon.
He became the conductor of the San Francisco Ballet
San Francisco Ballet
The San Francisco Ballet is a ballet company, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, under the direction of Helgi Tomasson. SFB is the first professional ballet company in the United States...
at the age of 18, and served as Assistant Conductor of 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...
under Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
. He went on to conduct many of the world's finest orchestras, and he held Music Director positions with the Houston Symphony, the Orchestre National de Monte Carlo, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra of the Israel Broadcasting Authority is a major orchestra of Israel...
, and the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya
Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona
The Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Barcelona, Spain.-History:In addition to the Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu, founded in 1847 and devoted to opera and ballet, Barcelona has had several symphonic orchestras since 1888...
in Spain.
In late 1989, he was the odds-on favorite to be named Music Director of the Pacific Symphony
Pacific Symphony
The Pacific Symphony is a symphony orchestra located in Orange County, California. The orchestra performs at the Renée and Henry Segerstom Concert Hall, part of the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, California...
of Orange County, California
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
. In December 1989, the orchestra offered Foster the position, and he accepted in principle. Contract negotiations began, and Foster began planning his schedule and the orchestra's programs for the coming years. However, in February 1990, Foster revealed that the offer had been rescinded, largely due to concerns about his salary and that his involvement with his Monte Carlo post would limit his level of commitment in California:
Since 2002, he has been the music director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
of the Gulbenkian Orchestra
Gulbenkian Orchestra
The Gulbenkian Orchestra is a Portuguese symphony orchestra based in Lisbon. The orchestra primarily gives concerts at the Grande Auditório of the Gulbenkian Foundation....
of Lisbon.