Neeme Järvi

Famed for his ability to create a compelling performance with an orchestra right from the first sight-read run-through, Neeme Järvi has recorded a vast and varied repertoire over his long career. The father of two other fine conductors, Paavo and Kristjan, the Estonian Neeme (born in 1937) trained in Leningrad (now St Petersburg), receiving a disciplined musical education that set him up for life. He first came to international attention as principal conductor of both the (Royal) Scottish National and Gothenburg Symphony orchestras. He was instrumental in encouraging his Swedish orchestra to record, making a series of recordings with a focus on Russian repertoire. He held conducting posts in the USA (Detroit and New Jersey), The Netherlands, Switzerland and his native Estonia. As a conductor he has the ability to galvanise players to give performances of intensity and energy, and his musical sympathies are vast. He is a fine orchestral trainer and has raised the standard of most of the ensembles with which he has been associated.