Robert Spano ( ; born 7 May 1961) is an American

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Biology and medicine * Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear * Conduction aphasia, a language disorder Mathematics * Conductor (ring theory) * Conductor of an abelian variety * Cond ...

Davidson, Justin. "Classical Music: Looking for Magic: Mixing visuals and language into a performance is just part of conductor Robert Spano's pursuit of orchestral risk" (Fanfare); ''Newsday'' (Long Island, NY) – 7 October 2001, p. D21. . Retrieved 23 March 2007 Tommasini, Anthony. "Critic's Notebook: A Winning Formula for Players and Listeners"; ''The New York Times'' – 9 February 2000, p. E5. . Retrieved 23 March 2007Dyer, Richard. "Spano Tries to Hang Out at Tanglewood" (Feature); ''Boston Globe'' – 22 July 2001, p. L4. . Retrieved 23 March 2007Ruhe, Pierre. "Critic's Notebook: Spano Storms New York – and that's fine"; ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' – 22 May 2003, p. D1. . Retrieved 23 March 2007Tommasini, Anthony. "Classical Music: Can Brooklyn Keep Its Maestro While He's Hot?"; ''The New York Times'' – 26 October 1997, pp. 2–33. . Retrieved 23 March 2007Brock, Wendell. "Live from Brooklyn, it's Robert Spano" (Feature Profile); ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' – 30 April 2000, p. L1.. Retrieved 23 March 2007 and

pianist A pianist ( , ) is a musician who plays the piano. A pianist's repertoire may include music from a diverse variety of styles, such as traditional classical music, jazz piano, jazz, blues piano, blues, and popular music, including rock music, ...

. He is currently music director of the

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (FWSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Fort Worth, Texas. The orchestra is resident at the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall. In addition to its symphonic and pops concert series, the FWSO ...

, music director of 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 ...

, principal conductor of 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 ...

, and music director laureate of the

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is an American orchestra based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The ASO's main concert venue is Atlanta Symphony Hall in the Woodruff Arts Center. History Though earlier organizations bearing the sam ...

(ASO).

Biography

Early life

Spano was born in

Conneaut, Ohio Conneaut ( ) is the northeastern most city in Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States, as well as the entire state as a whole. Located in the Greater Cleveland, Cleveland metropolitan area, it is settled along Lake Erie at the mouth of Conneaut Cre ...

, and grew up in a musical family in

Elkhart, Indiana Elkhart ( ) is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The population was 53,923 at the 2020 census. The city is located east of South Bend, Indiana. It is the most populous city in the Elkhart–Goshen metropolitan area, which in tu ...

. His father, Tony Spano, was a flute-builder and instrument-repairman as well as a

clarinetist The clarinet is a single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches. The clarinet family is the largest woodw ...

. Spano began making music early, studying piano, flute and violin. By the age of 14, he conducted a composition of his own with the local orchestra.Ward, Charles. "Busy Spano here to direct and perform" (Concert preview/Profile); ''The Houston Chronicle'' – 30 January 1998.

Thomson Gale Gale is a global provider of research and digital learning resources. The company is based in Farmington Hills, Michigan, United States, west of Detroit. It has been a division of Cengage since 2007. The company, formerly known as Gale Research a ...

: Document no.=CJ64294186. Retrieved 23 March 2007 After graduating from Elkhart Central High School, he studied at the

Oberlin Conservatory The Oberlin Conservatory of Music is a private music conservatory of Oberlin College, a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio. It was founded in 1865 and is the second oldest conservatory and oldest continually operating conservatory in ...

, where he earned a degree in piano performance, while also pursuing the violin and composition and studying conducting with Robert Baustian.

Slonimsky, Nicolas Nicolas Slonimsky ( – December 25, 1995), born Nikolai Leonidovich Slonimskiy (), was a Russian-born American musicologist, conductor, pianist, and composer. Best known for his writing and musical reference work, he wrote the ''Thesaurus ...

, rev. Laura Kuhn. (2001): ''Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians – Centennial Edition'', Vol. 5, p. 3415. New York: G. Schirmer. Robert Spano: Professor of Conducting
(Oberlin Conservatory). Oberlin.edu. Retrieved 24 March 2007 After Oberlin, he studied at the

Curtis Institute of Music The Curtis Institute of Music is a private conservatory in Philadelphia. It offers a performance diploma, a Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in opera, and a Professional Studies Certificate in opera. All students attend on a full scholarshi ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, where his mentors included Max Rudolf. In 1985, Spano left Curtis to take his first professional position, director of orchestral activities at

Bowling Green State University Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a Public university, public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized progr ...

. In 1989, he returned to Oberlin, now as a faculty member, leading the Opera Theater program. He has maintained at least an official affiliation with Oberlin ever since.

Early career

In 1990, Spano was named as an assistant conductor with the

Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...

.Oestreich, James R. "Shopping With: Robert Spano: Facing the Philharmonic, Armed With New CD's"; (Feature); ''The New York Times'' – 18 May 2003, pp. 2–27. . Retrieved 23 March 2007 After leaving this post in 1993, he has been a regular guest conductor with the Boston Symphony and a teacher at 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 ...

in the summertime. At Tanglewood, he headed the conductor training program from 1998 to 2002, and directed the Festival of Contemporary Music in 2003 and 2004. He has made appearances on the

Late Show with David Letterman ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production com ...

.Brock, Wendell. "New era for the ASO: Appointment of magnetic, media savvy conductor Robert Spano as director praised; Donald Runnicles to share podium"; ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' – 9 February 2000, p. B1. . Retrieved 23 March 2007 In 1995, Spano's first music directorship was announced, with the

Brooklyn Philharmonic There have been several organisations referred to as the Brooklyn Philharmonic. The most recent one was the now-defunct Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, an American orchestra based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, in existence f ...

. He began his tenure in the fall of 1996. Over the next few years, despite multiple financial crises,Kozinn, Allan. "High Notes and Red Ink"; ''The New York Times'' – 6 December 1998, p. 14-1. . Retrieved 27 March 2007 Spano, the orchestra, and executive director Joseph Horowitz developed programs organized around intellectual, dramatic, or historical themes, with occasional incorporation of visual elements. In 2002, Spano announced his intention to step down from the Brooklyn post at the end of the 2003–2004 season, remaining as an advisor, and then principal guest conductor, until 2007.Blumenthal, Ralph. "Spano Reduces His Role With Brooklyn Philharmonic"; ''The New York Times'' – 27 November 2002, p. E16. . Retrieved 23 March 2007

Atlanta

In February 2000, the

announced the appointment of Spano as its next music director, effective in 2001.Brock, Wendell. "Spano's selection wins press nationwide"; ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' – 10 February 2000, p. F12. . Retrieved 23 March 2007Ruhe, Pierre. "Critic's Notebook: Spano's first season gives ASO a boost"; ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' – 9 June 2002, p. L5. . Retrieved 23 March 2007 The ASO has reported increased ticket sales and donations during Spano's tenure.Elliott, Susan. "The Atlanta Symphony Gets a Jolt of Energy"; ''The New York Times'' – 16 December 2001, p. 2-1. . Retrieved 27 March 2007Ruhe, Pierre. "Ever-better ASO set to conquer New York" (Concert review); ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' – 23 April 2004, p. C12. . Spano concluded his ASO music directorship at the close of the 2020–2021 season, and now has the title of music director laureate of the ASO. During his ASO tenure, Spano has developed working relationships with contemporary composers such as

Osvaldo Golijov Osvaldo Noé Golijov (; born December 5, 1960) is an Argentine composer of classical music and music professor, known for his vocal and orchestral work. Biography Osvaldo Golijov was born in and raised in La Plata, Argentina, to a Jewish family ...

Jennifer Higdon Jennifer Elaine Higdon (born December 31, 1962) is an American composer of contemporary classical music. She has received many awards, including the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Music for her Violin Concerto and three Grammy Awards for Best Contemp ...

, Christopher Theofanidis, Michael Gandolfi, and Adam Schoenberg, under the rubric of the " Atlanta School of Composers". Spano and the ASO have regularly recorded for Telarc, and more recently for

Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...

, including compositions from the "Atlanta School of Composers".

Additional work

Alongside conducting, Spano remains active as a pianist, performing frequently as a chamber musician. He also continues to compose his own music, though only in his time off from his performing career. Spano's work in opera has included conducting

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

in cycles of

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...

's ''

Der Ring des Nibelungen (''The Ring of the Nibelung''), WWV 86, is a cycle of four German-language epic music dramas composed by Richard Wagner. The works are based loosely on characters from Germanic heroic legend, namely Norse legendary sagas and the . The compo ...

'', in 2005 and in 2009.Ruhe, Pierre:
'There's Something Bottomless About It' – Robert Spano on Conducting Wagner's Ring
" (Interview); ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' – 15 September 2005. Andante.com. Retrieved 24 March 2007 He made his guest-conducting debut with the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

in New York on 19 October 2018, with the United States premiere of Nico Muhly's opera '' Marnie''. including the final performance on 10 November 2018, which was part of the

Metropolitan Opera Live in HD Metropolitan Opera Live in HD (also known as The Met: Live in HD) is a series of live opera performances transmitted in high-definition video via satellite from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City to select venues, primarily movie theaters, ...

series. In March 2019, the

(FWSO) announced the appointment of Spano as its new principal guest conductor, with immediate effect, with a contract through the 2022–2023 season, simultaneously with his debut as a guest conductor with the orchestra. In February 2021, the FWSO announced the appointment of Spano as its next music director, effective with the 2022–2023 season, with an initial contract of three years. His title changed from principal guest conductor to music director-designate of the FWSO on 1 April 2021. Spano first guest-conducted the

(RI Philharmonic) in September 2023. In January 2024, the RI Philharmonic announced the appointment of Spano as its principal conductor, with immediate effect. Spano first guest-conducted at

Washington National Opera Washington National Opera (WNO) is an American opera company in Washington, D.C. Formerly the Opera Society of Washington and the Washington Opera, the company received Congressional designation as the National Opera Company in 2000. Performance ...

in 2021. In February 2024, Washington National Opera announced the appointment of Spano as its next music director, effective with the 2025-2026 season, with an initial contract of three seasons.

Awards and honours

Spano was recognized with the Seaver/National Endowment for the Arts Conductors Award in 1994.Kozinn, Allan
"Music Review; Better Late Than Later, a Philharmonic Debut"
''The New York Times''. 24 May 2003. Retrieved 23 March 2007 He has also received honorary degrees from Bowling Green State University and the Curtis Institute of Music, and his recordings have won several Grammy Awards ( see below). He was awarded the

Ditson Conductor's Award The Ditson Conductor's Award, established in 1945, is the oldest award honoring conductors for their commitment to the performance of American music. The US$5,000 purse is endowed by the Alice M. Ditson Fund at Columbia University, increased in ...

in 2008.

Musical America ''Musical America'' is the oldest American magazine on classical music, first appearing in 1898 in print and in 1999 online magazine, online, at musicalamerica.com. It is published by Performing Arts Resources, LLC, of East Windsor, New Jersey. ...

named Spano as its Conductor of the Year in 2008.

Selected discography

All recordings feature Spano conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and its Chorus led by Norman Mackenzie (as appropriate). Additional featured soloists are noted. *

Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov. At the time, his name was spelled , which he romanized as Nicolas Rimsky-Korsakow; the BGN/PCGN transliteration of Russian is used for his name here; ALA-LC system: , ISO 9 system: .. (18 March 1844 – 2 ...

: ''

Scheherazade Scheherazade () is a major character and the storyteller in the frame story, frame narrative of the Middle Eastern collection of tales known as the ''One Thousand and One Nights''. Name According to modern scholarship, the name ''Scheherazade ...

, Op. 35; Russian Easter Overture'' Telarc CD #80568 (2001). Cecylia Arzewski, solo violin.
Product page / Audio samples
Retrieved 2007-03-25 *

Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams ( ; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

: '' A Sea Symphony'' (Symphony #1). Telarc CD #80588 (2002). Christine Goerke, soprano; Brett Polegato, baritone; ASO Chorus :''Awards:'' Grammy Awards for Best Classical Album, Best Choral Performance, and Best Engineered Album, 2003.
Product page / Audio samples
Retrieved 25 March 2007 * Theofanidis: ''

Rainbow Body In Dzogchen, rainbow body (, Jalü or Jalus) is a level of realization. This may or may not be accompanied by the 'rainbow body phenomenon'. The rainbow body phenomenon is pre-Buddhist in origin and is related to the indigenous Tibetan Bon religi ...

'';

Barber A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave hair or beards. A barber's place of work is known as a barbershop or the barber's. Barbershops have been noted places of social interaction and public discourse ...

: ''Symphony No.1, Op. 9''; Copland: ''Suite from

Appalachian Spring ''Appalachian Spring'' is an American ballet created by the choreographer Martha Graham and the composer Aaron Copland, later arranged as an orchestral work. Commissioned by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, Copland composed the ballet music for Gra ...

''; Higdon: '' blue cathedral''. Telarc CD #80596 (2003).
Product page / Audio samples
Retrieved 25 March 2007 * Higdon: ''City Scape; Concerto for Orchestra''. Telarc CD #80620 (2004).
Product page / Audio samples
Retrieved 25 March 2007 *

Berlioz Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as the ''Symphonie fantastique'' and ''Harold en Italie, Harold in Italy'' ...

: '' Requiem, Op. 5 (Grande Messe des Morts)''. Telarc CD #80627 SACD #60627 (2004). Frank Lopardo, tenor; ASO Chorus. :''Awards:'' Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance, 2005.
Product page / Audio samples
Retrieved 25 March 2007 * Del Tredici: ''Paul Revere's Ride''; Theofanidis: ''The Here and Now''; Bernstein: "Lamentation" from '' Symphony No. 1 (Jeremiah)''. Telarc CD #80638 (2005).

Hila Plitmann Hila Plitmann (; born August 9, 1973) is an Israeli-American two-time Grammy Award-winning operatic soprano, songwriter, and actress specializing in the performance of new works. Career Education *Juilliard School of Music: Bachelor of Mus ...

, soprano; Richard Clement, tenor; Brett Polegato, baritone; Nancy Maultsby, mezzo-soprano. :''Awards:'' ''

Gramophone Magazine ''Gramophone'' (known as ''The Gramophone'' prior to 1970) is a magazine published monthly in London, devoted to classical music, particularly to reviews of recordings. It was founded in 1923 by the Scottish author Compton Mackenzie who continue ...

'' "Editor's Choice" (December 2005).
Product page / Audio samples
Retrieved 25 March 2007 *

Sibelius Jean Sibelius (; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest composer, and his music is often ...

: '' Kullervo, Op. 7''. Telarc CD #80665 (2006).

Charlotte Hellekant Anna Charlotte Hellekant (born 15 January 1962 in Stockholm) is a Swedish operatic mezzo-soprano. Hellekant studied at the Philadelphia and New York conservatories. She began her career in 1989 and played among others Dido, ''Ariadne auf Naxos'', ...

, soprano;

Nathan Gunn Nathan T. Gunn (born November 26, 1970, in South Bend, Indiana) is an American operatic baritone who performs regularly around the world. He is an alumnus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he is currently a professor of voice ...

, baritone; Men of the ASO Chorus
Product page / Audio samples
Retrieved 25 March 2007 * Golijov: '' Ainadamar (Fountain of Tears)'' Deutsche Grammophon CD #477 616-5 (2006).

Dawn Upshaw Dawn Upshaw (born July 17, 1960) is an American soprano. She is the recipient of several Grammy Awards and has released a number of Edison Award-winning discs; she performs both opera and art song, and her repertoire spans Baroque to contempo ...

, soprano; Jessica Rivera, soprano;

Kelley O'Connor Kelley O'Connor is an American singer. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California and her master's degree in Music from the University of California, Los Angeles. O'Connor has ...

, mezzo-soprano; Ladies of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus :''Awards:'' Grammy Awards for Best Opera Recording, Best Classical Contemporary Composition, 2006.
Product page / Audio samples
Retrieved 25 March 2007 * Tallis: ''Why Fum'th in Fight'';

: Symphony No. 5/''

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis ''Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis'', also known as the ''Tallis Fantasia'', is a one-movement work for string orchestra by Ralph Vaughan Williams. The theme is by the 16th-century English composer Thomas Tallis. The Fantasia was first perf ...

''/'' Serenade to Music'' Telarc CD# 80676 (2007) Jessica Rivera, soprano;

, mezzo-soprano; Thomas Studebaker, tenor; Nmon Ford, baritone; ASO Chamber Chorus * Christopher Theofanidis: Symphony No. 1; Peter Lieberson: ''Neruda Songs''; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Kelley O'Connor, mezzo-soprano; ASO Media (2011) CD 1002

References

Sources

* Davidson, Justin. "Measure for Measure: Exploring the mysteries of conducting". ''The New Yorker'' – 21 August 2006, pp. 60–69. (Conversations with Spano frame an essay on the nature of conducting.)

External links

Official website of Robert Spano

Kirshbaum Associates agency page on Robert Spano

Artist page
at Telarc International. Older bio; list of Telarc cd's; audio samples. Retrieved 24 March 2007

Interviews

26 October 1998
2005 Print Interview
with Pierre Ruhe of the ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution''. Spano discusses conducting

's ''

Ring Cycle (''The Ring of the Nibelung''), WWV 86, is a cycle of four German-language epic music dramas composed by Richard Wagner. The works are based loosely on characters from Germanic heroic legend, namely Norse legendary sagas and the . The compos ...

''. (also cited above) Accessed 24 March 2007 {{DEFAULTSORT:Spano, Robert 1961 births 20th-century American conductors (music) 20th-century American classical pianists 21st-century American conductors (music) 21st-century American classical pianists American male classical pianists American male pianists American male conductors (music) Aspen Music Festival and School faculty Bowling Green State University faculty Curtis Institute of Music alumni Grammy Award winners Living people American music directors Musicians from Atlanta Musicians from Boston Musicians from Colorado Musicians from Indiana Oberlin Conservatory of Music alumni Oberlin College faculty People from Aspen, Colorado People from Conneaut, Ohio Musicians from Brooklyn People from Elkhart, Indiana Classical musicians from New York (state) Classical musicians from Massachusetts Classical musicians from Ohio 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians Music directors of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra