Markus Stenz

Markus Stenz (born 28 February 1965, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Rhineland-Palatinate) is a German conductor. He studied at the Hochschule für Musik Köln with Volker Wangenhein and at Tanglewood with Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa.

Stenz has served as Artistic Director of the Montepulciano Festival (1989–1995), and Principal Conductor of the London Sinfonietta (1994–1998). In Australia, from 1998 to 2004, he was Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO), which he took on their first European tour in 2000. Stenz is known for his championing of contemporary composers, which included the appointment of Brett Dean as the MSO's composer-in-residence in 2001.^[1]

Since the 2003-2004 season, Stenz has held the position of Principal Conductor of the Gürzenich Orchestra (Gürzenich-Kapellmeister). During his tenure, beginning in October 2005, concerts of the Gürzenich Orchestra are recorded live on their own label "GO live!" and made available within 5 minutes of the end of the concert the same night for purchase by audience members.^[2] Stenz conducted the Gürzenich Orchestra's first concert appearance at The Proms in August 2008.^[3]

In February 2008, Stenz was named principal guest conductor of the Hallé Orchestra,^[4] the second principal guest conductor in the orchestra's history, and took the post in 2009. In August 2010, the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest announced the appointment of Stenz as its eighth chief conductor, effective with the 2012-2013 season, with an initial contract of 3 years.^[5]

Stenz is noted as a conductor of the operas of Hans Werner Henze. His conducting debut at the La Fenice theatre in Venice was with a production of Henze's Elegy for Young Lovers. Stenz has also led the premieres of other Henze operas, including Das verratene Meer (Deutsche Oper, Berlin),^[1] Venus und Adonis (Bavarian State Opera, Munich) and L'Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe (2003 Salzburg Festival).^[6]

Discography

In addition to his recordings with the Gürzenich Orchestra, Stenz made his first recording with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in premieres of works by Moritz Eggert, Colin Matthews, Theo Verbey and Detlev Glanert.^[7] Further recordings include Helmut Lachenmann's Ausklang and Strauss's An Alpine Symphony with the Ensemble Modern Orchestra, and Henze's Symphony No. 8 and other pieces with the Gürzenich Orchestra. Markus Stenz and the Gürzenich Orchestra are recording a Mahler cycle on SACD. The label OehmsClassics are planning a complete recording of Gustav Mahler's symphonies plus the song cycle Des Knaben Wunderhorn with Christiane Oelze (soprano) and Michael Volle (baritone), to be published in hybrid SACD format, with releases scheduled from August 2009 through 2012.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Robin Usher (2004-11-22). "Stenz, on the road again". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/news/Music/Stenz-on-the-road-again/2004/11/19/1100838209520.html?from=storyrhs. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
2. ^ Richard Morrison (2008-08-16). "Taking the baton for Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony". The Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/proms/article4523328.ece. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
3. ^ Geoff Brown (2008-08-25). "Proms 48 and 49: Gürzenich-Orchester/Stenz and NYOGB/Pappano at the Albert Hall/Radio 3". The Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/proms/article4601417.ece. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
4. ^ Stephen Bates (2008-02-21). "People". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2008/feb/21/3. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
5. ^ "Markus Stenz chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra" (Press release). Radio Filharmonisch Orkest. 17 August 2010. http://en.radiofilharmonischorkest.nl/mco_page/detail/20983. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
6. ^ Hugh Canning (2003-08-31). "Up and away". The Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article1153497.ece. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
7. ^ Geoff Brown (2008-08-22). "Concertgebouw: Horizon 1". The Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article4581079.ece. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 

External links

• Homepage Markus Stenz

Preceded by Paul Crossley	Music Director, London Sinfonietta 1994–1998	Succeeded by Oliver Knussen
Preceded by Hiroyuki Iwaki	Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra 1998–2004	Succeeded by Oleg Caetani
Preceded by James Conlon	Chief Conductor, Gürzenich Orchester 2002–	Succeeded by incumbent

Persondata
Name	Stenz, Markus
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Date of birth	1965-02-28
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