Michael Stern (conductor)

An older man in an all-black suit stands on a wooden stage with holding a wireless microphone in both hands.
Stern speaking during his last performance as the music director of the Kansas City Symphony on June 23, 2024

Michael Stern (born 17 December 1959) is an American conductor. He is currently music director of the National Repertory Orchestra (Breckenridge, Colorado) and of Orchestra Lumos. He is artistic advisor to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Iris Collective. He is music director laureate of the Kansas City Symphony.

Biography

Stern is the son of Vera Stern and the violinist Isaac Stern. He obtained his undergraduate degree in American history from Harvard College in 1981. Subsequently, he studied under conductor Max Rudolf at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, graduating in 1986. Stern also studied for one summer at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute and for two summers at the Pierre Monteux Memorial School in Hancock, Maine.[1][2]

Stern was an assistant conductor with The Cleveland Orchestra from 1986 to 1991.[3][4] In September 1986, he debuted at the New York Philharmonic as one of three young conductors in a conducting workshop with Leonard Bernstein.[5]

Stern has served as principal guest conductor of the Orchestre National de Lyon. From 1996 to 2000, Stern was chief conductor of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, the first American chief conductor in the orchestra's history. His work there is also notable for the orchestra's many recordings of American classical music during his tenure, including discs of works by Henry Cowell and Charles Ives.[citation needed]

In 2000, Stern founded the IRIS Orchestra in Germantown, Tennessee, an ensemble specialist in American contemporary music. He served as its music director until 2022, and is now advisor to the renamed ensemble, the IRIS Collective.

In 2005, Stern became music director of the Kansas City Symphony.[6] During Stern's tenure in Kansas City, the orchestra moved to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in 2011.[7] In March 2014, Stern, the orchestra, and Engage Mobile Solutions used four pairs of Google Glass to record a performance of Beethoven's 5th Symphony.[8] He served in the post through the 2023-2024 season,[9] and is now music director laureate of the Kansas City Symphony.

A symphony orchestra on a wooden stage receives a standing ovation from an audience.
Stern's final performance as music director of the Kansas City Symphony on June 23, 2024

In 2019, the Stamford Symphony (renamed Orchestra Lumos in June 2022[10]) appointed Stern as its next music director, effective with the 2020-2021 season, with an initial contract of five seasons.[11] In January 2021, the National Repertory Orchestra (NRO) in Breckenridge, Colorado announced the appointment of Stern as its next music director.[12][13]

Stern has been married twice. His first marriage was to the oboist Jeannette Bittar.[14] The marriage ended in divorce.[4] Stern's second marriage is to Shelly Cryer. The couple have two daughters and resides in Connecticut.

References

  1. ^ "Stern's Farewell with Sibelius and Barber" (Pamphlet). Kansas City Symphony. June 23, 2024. p. 2.
  2. ^ Swed, Mark (December 12, 2010). "Music review: Michael Stern makes impressive Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra debut". Culture Monster Blog. The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024.
  3. ^ Allan Kozinn (June 27, 1992). "Review/Music; New Jersey Orchestra Tries Out a Conductor". The New York Times. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Alan Smason (December 8, 2006). "Conductor Michael Stern returns to Severance Hall". Cleveland Jewish News. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  5. ^ Crutchfield, Will (September 6, 1986). "Concert: Bernstein Introduces 3 Protégés". The New York Times. p. 15. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  6. ^ "Kansas City Symphony Extends Contract for Music Director Michael Stern through 2020" (Press release). Kansas City Symphony. October 1, 2015. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  7. ^ Laura Spencer (September 9, 2019). "Here's Why Kansas City Symphony's Michael Stern Is Staying — And Leaving". KCUR (89.3 FM Radio). Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  8. ^ Barksdale, Matthew (March 13, 2014). "Engage Mobile, Google Glass Technology Provide Groundbreaking Glimpse Inside Kansas City Symphony". Engage Mobile. Kansas City, Missouri. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  9. ^ Dan Margolies and Sam Wisman (June 20, 2024). "Michael Stern says farewell to Kansas City: 'The next chapter is going to be brilliant'". Kansas City Public Radio. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  10. ^ "Connecticut's Stamford Symphony Changes Name to Orchestra Lumos". The Violin Channel. June 1, 2022. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  11. ^ Humberto J Rocha (September 29, 2019). "Isaac Stern's son, Michael Stern, takes to the Stamford Symphony podium". Stamford Advocate. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  12. ^ "NRO Announces New Music Director". National Repertory Orchestra. January 12, 2021. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  13. ^ "Michael Stern Extends Contract with National Repertory Orchestra". National Repertory Orchestra. November 29, 2022. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  14. ^ Rena Fruchter (June 21, 1992). "Music; A Potential Candidate Opens Summer Season". The New York Times. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
Cultural offices
Preceded by Chief Conductor, Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra
1996–2000 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Music Director, Kansas City Symphony
2005–2024 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Eckart Preu (Music Director, Stamford Symphony)
 Music Director, Orchestra Lumos
2020–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
Preceded by
Carl Topilow
 Music Director, National Repertory Orchestra
2021–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent