Larry Rachleff (August 25, 1955 – August 8, 2022) was an American conductor and educator.

Education

Larry Rachleff was born in New York City and pursued his early education in music at the

University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university system with its main campus in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1881 as the Storrs Agricultural School, named after two benefactors. In 1893, ...

, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree. He went on to study conducting at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

, receiving a Master of Music degree under the guidance of

Gustav Meier Gustav Meier (13 August 1929 – 26 May 2016) was a Swiss-born conductor and director of the Orchestra Conducting Program at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. He was also Music Director of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orche ...

. During his formative years, Rachleff further honed his craft through participation in conducting workshops and masterclasses, including sessions with distinguished mentors like

Seiji Ozawa was a Japanese conductor known internationally for his work as music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and especially the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), where he served from 1973 for 29 years. After cond ...

and

Kurt Masur Kurt Masur (; 18 July 192719 December 2015) was a German Conducting, conductor. Called "one of the last old-style maestros", he directed many of the principal orchestras of his era. He had a long career as the Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewand ...

Career

Rachleff’s professional career spanned several decades and included positions with a range of orchestras, symphonies, and academic institutions. He directed the

Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra is an American orchestra and music school based in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1945 and colloquially referred to as the RI Philharmonic, the orchestra's performing home is Veterans Memorial Auditor ...

from 1996 until 2017. Under his direction, the orchestra gained recognition for its diverse programming and commitment to music education in the community. Rachleff served as the music director of the

San Antonio Symphony The San Antonio Symphony was a full-time professional symphony orchestra based in San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas. Its season ran from late September to early June. Sebastian Lang-Lessing, its music director from 2010 to 2020, was the last to ser ...

from 2004 to 2008. The symphony's board of directors cited Rachleff's unwillingness to reside in San Antonio as their primary reason for not renewing his contract beyond the 2007–2008 season. Rachleff was a frequent guest conductor with major orchestras in the United States and abroad, including appearances with the Chicago Symphony,

Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. The orchestra holds a regular concert season from October until June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from ...

Houston Symphony The Houston Symphony is an American orchestra based in Houston, Texas. The orchestra is resident at the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts. History The first concert of what was to become the Houston Symphony took place on June 21, 1 ...

, and the

Seattle Symphony The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra also serves as the accompanying orchestra for the Seattle Opera. History Beginnings The orchest ...

, among others. His interpretations of standard and contemporary repertoire were noted for their attention to detail and stylistic integrity. Rachleff also maintained a strong commitment to music education throughout his career. He served as the director of orchestras and the Walter Kris Hubert Professor of Music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, a role in which he mentored young conductors and musicians. He was widely respected for his pedagogical approach, combining rigorous technical demands with a deep understanding of the musical text. He was also associated with a number of summer music festivals and programs, such as the

Tanglewood Music Center The Tanglewood Music Center is an annual summer music academy in Lenox, Massachusetts, United States, in which emerging professional musicians participate in performances, master classes and workshops. The center operates as a part of the Tanglew ...

and the

Aspen Music Festival and School The Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) is a European classical music, classical music festival held annually in Aspen, Colorado. It is noted both for its concert programming and the musical training it offers to mostly young-adult music stu ...

, where he worked closely with young artists and conducted festival performances.

Recordings

* '' Samuel Adler: Transfiguration'' (Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, Naxos Records) * ''

Darius Milhaud Darius Milhaud (, ; 4 September 1892 – 22 June 1974) was a French composer, conductor, and teacher. He was a member of Les Six—also known as ''The Group of Six''—and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. His composition ...

: La Création du Monde'' (Rice University Shepherd School of Music Symphony Orchestra) * ''Music of Tower and Bruch'' (Rice University Shepherd School of Music Symphony Orchestra)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rachleff, Larry 1955 births 2022 deaths American conductors (music) Musicians from New York City