He was an orchestral conductor born in New York City who was a music arranger and timpanist at his high school and he studied music at Dartmouth College, Harvard and Brown University.
He conducted the Rhode Island Philharmonic from 1960 to 1965 and from 1965 was the principal conductor for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, after an invitation by Max Rudolf. Following success with an 8 O’clock Pops concert the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra was formed.
He is also known for making jazz recordings of Duke Ellington and Dave Brubeck and conducts the televised National Symphony Orchestra concerts every Fourth of July and Memorial Day.
He made over 83 recordings with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra who have exceeded any other orchestra’s entries on the Billboard chart and he made history with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra as the first pops orchestra to perform in China.
Recognised for his contribution to music he was honoured with the National Medal of Arts in 2006 and in 2009 he was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.
He was diagnosed with cancer in the April of 2009 and made his final appearance at Riverbend that August before passing away in Maine at the beginning of the following month. On the day of his passing he was given the posthumous honour of the title “Founder and Conductor Emeritus” of the Cincinatti Pops.
Cincinatti Pops Orchestra Recordings
Richard Addinsell
Warsaw Concerto
Telarc 80175 (CD: Selections from Victory at Sea and Other Favorites)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
Piano – William Tritt
Isaac Albeniz
Fete-Dieu a Seville
Telarc 80129 (CD: The Stokowski Sound)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
Leroy Anderson
Concerto in C for piano and orchestra
Telarc CD-80112 (CD: American Piano Classics)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
Piano – Stewart Goodyear
The Last Rose of Summer
Telarc CD-80571 (CD: A Celtic Spectacular)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
Tenor – John McDermott
Fiddle – Liz Knowles
Silver Arm Celtic Band
Pipes – Kieran O’Hare
Paul Anka
The Longest Day March
Telarc 80175 (CD: Selections from Victory at Sea and Other Favorites)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
Rochester Pops Orchestra recordings
Leroy Anderson
Bugler’s Holiday
Pro-Arte CDD 454 (CD: Syncopated Clock)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
Sandpaper Ballet
Pro-Arte CDD 454 (CD: Syncopated Clock)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
Sleigh Ride
Pro Arte 220 (CD: Christmas at the Pops)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
The Syncopated Clock
Pro Arte CDD-454 (CD: Classical Jukebox: More Favourites of Leroy Anderson)
Conductor – Erich Kunzel
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