He is an orchestral conductor and artistic director born in Tallinn, Estonia. He began by studying conducting and percussion at the Tallinn School of Music and went on to attend the Leningrad Conservatory when he was eighteen, which was around the same time he made his conducting debut.
Around 1960 he was a co-founder of the Estonian Radio Chamber Orchestra and in 1963 he took the position of Principal Conductor of the Estonian Radio Symphony Orchestra and was also offered the same position at the Estonian National Opera Theatre.
Following performances at the New York Metropolitan in 1979 he moved to the United States in 1980 and he was immediately met with offers of recording contracts and to appear with some of America’s top orchestras. Keeping in touch with other international orchestras he became the Principal Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, who he is still with, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, for which he would be named Conductor Laureate for Life, Chief Conductor of The Hague Residentie Orchestra who he stayed with until the 2012-13 season and also Principal Guest Conductor the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1990 he was made Musical Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and now holds the position of Music Director Emeritus.
In 2009 he was appointed Music Director for the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra but later resigned in 2010. That same year he was announced Artistic and Music Director for the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande with an initial 3 year contract.
A prolific recording artist he is one of the most featured conductors on over 357 albums since 1983 and in the world of live performances he has appeared with 72 orchestras in 125 cities in over 1120 concerts.
In the world of education he has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Aberdeen University and he regularly teaches masterclasses in Parnu, Estonia.
His children are carrying on in the musical tradition, with two of his sons being conductors and his daughter being a flautist.
Detroit Symphony Orchestra recordings
Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson)
BGD 0117 (CD: Joy!)
Conductor – Neeme Jarvi
Here’s an excerpt of Neeme conducting the Berlin Phiharmonic for a performance of Grieg’s Peer Gynt…
Sources:
- http://www.neemejarvi.com/biography.htm
- http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Jarvi-Neeme.htm
- http://www.detroitsymphony.com/main.taf?p=5,1,2,1
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neeme_Jarvi
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/neeme-j%C3%A4rvi-mn0000747851/biography
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/833179-Neeme-J%C3%A4rvi