Beloved former New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra (NASO) conductor Eckart Preu has been appointed Music Director of the Stamford Symphony Orchestra after a two-year international search. Preu conducted NASO for twelve concerts between 1998 and 2002. Highlights included performances of Moussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition at Symphony Space, Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique at The Riverside Church and, for our 25th anniversary season gala, Rimsky-Korsakoff’s Scheherazade.

Stamford Symphony concertmistress Erica Kiesewetter, who was a soloist with NASO some twenty years ago as a member of the Leonardo Trio in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, says, "I am thrilled to learn that Eckart Preu has been appointed as the new Music Director of the Stamford Symphony. He is a truly gifted conductor, showing complementary attributes of brilliance and sensitivity, keen intellect and spontaneity.... We of the orchestra welcome him and look forward to many exciting seasons together!"

Preu was chosen from a pool of 250 candidates, succeeding Roger Nierenberg who held the music directorship for 25 years. The Stamford Symphony press release announcing Preu’s accession refers to him as "a superb musician, an energetic community leader, and an artistic visionary."

Now 35, Preu was only 28 years old when he first conducted a NASO rehearsal. NASO’s primary goal is to showcase young talent early, and Eckart Preu is one of our proudest discoveries.

Preu, who grew up in East Germany, came to the United States as winner of the National Conducting Competition of the German Academic Exchange Service (1996) for graduate studies with Harold Farberman at the Hartt School of Music, where he also received the Karl Boehm Scholarship. In Germany he earned a masters degree in conducting from the Hochschule für Musik in Weimar, studying under Gunther Kahlert and Nicolas Pasquet. He also studied with Jean-Sebastien Bereau at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. His education was made possible by scholarships from the Herbert von Karajan Foundation, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and the French Ministry of Culture. In November 1998, Eckart took third place at the International Competition for Young Conductors of the European Union in Spoleto, Italy.

Since leaving New York, our young maestro has gone on to several other posts, beginning with an assistant conductorship with the Richmond (VA) Symphony (2001-2004). He is currently the Music Director of the Spokane Symphony (2004-present), a post he will continue in after assuming the podium in Stamford. His first concert as Music Director in Connecticut will be an opening night gala at the Palace Theatre in Stamford on October 8, 2005, featuring Glinka’s Ruslan and Ludmila Overture, Rachmaninoff’s third piano concerto, and Stravinsky’s Firebird suite. Stamford is generously offering two tickets for the price of one to the Saturday October 8 and Sunday October 9 performances for NASO fans who mention Preu’s former gig at the time of purchase.

Other orchestras he has held positions with include the American Symphony Orchestra (Resident Conductor, 1997-2004), the American Russian Young Artists Orchestra (1999-2004), the Norwalk (CT) Youth Symphony. In Europe, our Eckart served as Music Director of the Orchestre International de Paris (1993-1995) and was an Assistant Conductor at Radio France. He has also been associated with the Bard Music Festival since 1997 as both Assistant and Guest Conductor. In addition, he has made guest conducting appearances with the Jerusalem Symphony, the Radio Philharmonic of Slovenia, the Pecs Philharmonic (Hungary), the Varna Philharmonic (Bulgaria), Nouvel Ensemble du Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique de Paris , and in Germany with the Jenaer Philharmoniker, the Hallesche Philharmonic, the Thüringer Kammerorchester, and the Landessinfonieorchester Gotha.

Henry Fogel, President of the American Symphony Orchestra League, reacted with enthusiasm to the announcement of Eckart’s appointment in Stamford: "Eckart Preu is one of the most impressive talents in the group of younger conductors working today in America. He is deeply musical, he cares about orchestras, and he conducts with elegance, style, and intensity. The Stamford Symphony has made a brilliant choice, and I congratulate them on it."

Leon Botstein, music director of the Bard Festival, American Symphony Orchestra, and Jerusalem Symphony, has worked closely with Eckart Preu. "When Eckart first came to the American Symphony as an assistant, he demonstrated from the beginning extraordinary talent and an insatiable curiosity about repertoire," he said. "His performances at the Bard Music Festival were always impressive, and he has just returned from a successful guest engagement at the Jerusalem Symphony. An important part of Eckart’s approach is to build an empathetic relationship with both audience and players. He is a young man of many ideas, and his passion for what he does is infectious to the audience."

"I am looking forward to reinventing our relationship to the community of Stamford," said Maestro Preu diplomatically, "a community that combines the sophistication of New York City and the beauty of New England. We have to rethink, reevaluate, and rebuild lost relationships to the community and other local arts organizations. We must immerse ourselves into the community we play for: it is for this community we exist. We want to be a premiere source of civic pride for all citizens of Stamford."

[EMILY PLISHNER]