© Alberto Venzago
Paavo Järvi – Music Director
Paavo Järvi has been our Music Director since the 2019/20 season. We find playing under him wonderful, because a special energy is created – and no two concerts are ever alike.
Paavo Järvi studied percussion and conducting in his hometown, Tallinn, when Estonia was still part of the Soviet Union. In 1980, the entire family emigrated to the United States, where Paavo Järvi continued his studies in Los Angeles under Leonard Bernstein. In 2001 he became Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; to this day, he maintains links with the ensemble as Music Director Laureate. Cincinnati was the first of several important international postings: the United States were followed by Germany, France and Japan.
Just as he maintains links with «his» orchestras, Järvi also remains connected with his Estonian homeland, where he supports and promotes Estonian composers. In 2011, together with his father, Neeme Järvi, he founded the Pärnu Music Festival and the Järvi Academy. Paavo Järvi is also a co-founder of Zurich’s Conductors’ Academy, whose winners are also invited to the Järvi Academy.
Paavo Järvi’s influence in Zurich is documented in his first CD recordings made with the orchestra.
«What music is capable of as art is subtle, but powerful. It touches our whole being – in a world of efficiency, productivity and structures that demand a great deal of us. We must create a counterbalance in this world, which we should encounter with humanity – with music, for example.»
In addition, Paavo Järvi…
- works as a guest conductor with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra London, the Staatskapelle Dresden and the New York Philharmonic
- has been Chief Conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra (Tokyo) since 2015
- is Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
- was Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Orchestre de Paris until 2016
- is Conductor Laureate of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony and Music Director Laureate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
- was honoured for his interpretations of Beethoven in 2010 and won the OPUS KLASSIK award for Conductor of the Year in 2019
More about Paavo Järvi
How does our music director Paavo Järvi actually get around in Zurich? In the tram, of course. In the newvideo series «Tram for Two» Paavo Järvi takes guests of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich on a ride through the city.
Experience our music director in the new format tonhalleCRUSH, where he not only conducts but also comments on the orchestral works on stage. Then it's on to a contrasting programme in the concert foyer, where a group of musicians will not be playing classical music, but all sorts of other things.
June 2023
Thu 08. Jun
19.30
Fri 09. Jun
18.30
Fri 16. Jun
19.30
Paavo Järvi with «Fidelio»
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Jacquelyn Wagner Sopran – Leonore,
Michael Schade Tenor – Florestan,
Christof Fischesser Bass – Rocco,
Katharina Konradi Sopran – Marzelline,
Patrick Grahl Tenor – Jaquino,
Shenyang Bassbariton – Don Pizarro,
Tareq Nazmi Bariton – Don Fernando,
Stefan Kurt Sprecher,
Zürcher Sing-Akademie,
Florian Helgath Einstudierung,
Sebastian Breuing Einstudierung,
Eva Buchmann Konzept, Regie,
Ben Hurkmans Dramaturgie,
Selina Tholl Kostüme
Beethoven
Sun 18. Jun
17.00
Paavo Järvi with «Fidelio»
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Jacquelyn Wagner Sopran – Leonore,
Michael Schade Tenor – Florestan,
Christof Fischesser Bass – Rocco,
Katharina Konradi Sopran – Marzelline,
Patrick Grahl Tenor – Jaquino,
Shenyang Bassbariton – Don Pizarro,
Tareq Nazmi Bariton – Don Fernando,
Stefan Kurt Sprecher,
Zürcher Sing-Akademie,
Florian Helgath Einstudierung,
Sebastian Breuing Einstudierung,
Eva Buchmann Konzept, Regie,
Ben Hurkmans Dramaturgie,
Selina Tholl Kostüme
Beethoven
Sat 24. Jun
20.00
September
Wed 13. Sep
19.30
Season opening with Paavo Järvi
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Kian Soltani Violoncello
Schumann, Bruckner
Thu 14. Sep
19.30
Season opening with Paavo Järvi
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Kian Soltani Violoncello
Schumann, Bruckner
Fri 15. Sep
19.30
Season opening with Paavo Järvi
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Kian Soltani Violoncello
Schumann, Bruckner
Wed 20. Sep
19.30
Olli Mustonen plays Beethoven
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Olli Mustonen Klavier
Beethoven
Thu 21. Sep
19.30
Olli Mustonen plays Beethoven
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Olli Mustonen Klavier
Beethoven
October
Wed 04. Oct
19.30
Bruce Liu plays Chopin
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Bruce Liu Klavier
Chopin, Beethoven
Thu 05. Oct
12.15
Orchestra Lunch Concert with Paavo Järvi
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director
Brahms
Fri 06. Oct
19.30
Bomsori Kim plays Nielsen
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Bomsori Kim Violine
Beethoven, Nielsen, Brahms
November
Sat 11. Nov
19.00
Paavo Järvi with Rachmaninoff
Philharmonia Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Conductor,
Francesco Piemontesi Klavier
Rachmaninow
December
Wed 13. Dec
19.30
Wayne Marshall plays Gershwin
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Wayne Marshall Klavier und Orgel
Dessner, Gershwin, Marshall, Rachmaninow
Thu 14. Dec
12.15
Orchestra Lunch Concert with Paavo Järvi
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director
Rachmaninow
Thu 14. Dec
19.30
Wayne Marshall plays Gershwin
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Wayne Marshall Klavier und Orgel
Dessner, Gershwin, Marshall, Rachmaninow
Fri 15. Dec
19.30
Wayne Marshall plays Gershwin
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Wayne Marshall Klavier und Orgel
Dessner, Gershwin, Marshall, Rachmaninow
January 2024
Sun 21. Jan
17.00
Maximilian Hornung plays Dvořák
Estonian Festival Orchestra,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Maximilian Hornung Violoncello
Pärt, Dvořák, Schostakowitsch
February
Fri 02. Feb
19.30
Cristina Gómez Godoy plays Mozart
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Cristina Gómez Godoy Oboe
Mozart, Mahler
Sat 03. Feb
18.30
Cristina Gómez Godoy plays Mozart
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Cristina Gómez Godoy Oboe
Mozart, Mahler
Wed 07. Feb
19.30
Vilde Frang plays Bartók
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Vilde Frang Violine
Beethoven, Bartók, Nielsen
Thu 08. Feb
19.30
Vilde Frang plays Bartók
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Vilde Frang Violine
Beethoven, Bartók, Nielsen
March
Wed 06. Mar
19.30
Paavo Järvi with Fauré
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Conductor,
Giulia Semenzato Sopran,
Rodion Pogossov Bariton,
Iveta Apkalna Orgel,
Zürcher Sing-Akademie,
Florian Helgath Einstudierung
Fauré, Poulenc, Fauré
Thu 07. Mar
19.30
Paavo Järvi with Fauré
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Conductor,
Giulia Semenzato Sopran,
Rodion Pogossov Bariton,
Iveta Apkalna Orgel,
Zürcher Sing-Akademie,
Florian Helgath Einstudierung
Fauré, Poulenc, Fauré
Fri 08. Mar
19.30
Paavo Järvi with Fauré
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Conductor,
Giulia Semenzato Sopran,
Rodion Pogossov Bariton,
Iveta Apkalna Orgel,
Zürcher Sing-Akademie,
Florian Helgath Einstudierung
Fauré, Poulenc, Fauré
Wed 13. Mar
19.30
Sol Gabetta plays Saint-Saëns
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Sol Gabetta Violoncello
Debussy, Saint-Saëns, Sibelius
Thu 14. Mar
19.30
Sol Gabetta plays Saint-Saëns
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Sol Gabetta Violoncello
Debussy, Saint-Saëns, Sibelius
Fri 15. Mar
22.00
tonhalleLATE – classic meets electronic
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Sol Gabetta Violoncello
Saint-Saëns, Sibelius
May
Fri 24. May
19.30
Hélène Grimaud plays Beethoven
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Hélène Grimaud Klavier
Mahler, Beethoven, Schostakowitsch
Sat 25. May
18.30
Hélène Grimaud plays Beethoven
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Hélène Grimaud Klavier
Mahler, Beethoven, Schostakowitsch
Sun 26. May
17.00
Hélène Grimaud plays Beethoven
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Hélène Grimaud Klavier
Mahler, Beethoven, Schostakowitsch
June
Wed 05. Jun
19.30
Condcutors' Academy: Closing Concert
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Ivo Gass Horn,
Teilnehmer*innen der Conductors' Academy Array,
Andrea Thilo Moderation
Honegger, Strauss, Brahms, Strauss (Sohn)
Sat 08. Jun
18.30
Concours Géza Anda: Final Concert
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich,
Paavo Järvi Music Director,
Finalistinnen und Finalisten des Concours Géza Anda Array
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