David Danzmayr
The Elizabeth M. Ross Music Director
Described by The Herald as “extremely good, concise, clear, incisive and expressive,” David Danzmayr is widely regarded as one of the most exciting European conductors of his generation.
Danzmayr is in his second season as Music Director of the Oregon Symphony, having started his tenure there in the orchestra’s 125th anniversary season. He also stands at the helm of the versatile ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus, Ohio, an innovative orchestra comprised of musicians from all over the United States.
In addition, he holds the title of Honorary Conductor of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra. He served as the group’s Chief Conductor, leading the Zagreb musicians on several European tours and in concerts at Salzburg Festival Hall, where they performed the prestigious New Year’s concert, and the Vienna Musikverein.
David has won prizes at some of the world’s most prestigious conducting competitions including the International Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition and the International Malko Conducting Competition. In recognition of his successes, he has been awarded the Bernhard Paumgartner Medal by the Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum.
Propelled into a far-reaching international career, Danzmayr has quickly become a sought-after guest conductor. He has worked throughout the United States with the symphonies of Cincinnati, Minnesota, St. Louis, Seattle, Baltimore, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Detroit, North Carolina, San Diego, Colorado, Utah, Milwaukee, New Jersey, the Pacific Symphony, Chicago Civic Orchestra, Houston Symphony, and Grant Park Music Festival.
In Europe, David has led the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Bamberger Symphoniker, Sinfonieorchester Basel, Mozarteum Orchester, Essener Philharmoniker, Hamburger Symphoniker, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Odense Symphony, Salzburg Chamber Philharmonic, Bruckner Orchester Linz, and the Radio Symphony Orchestras of Vienna and Stuttgart. He has served as Assistant Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, performing in all the major Scottish concert halls and in the prestigious, Orkney based, St Magnus Festival.
He frequently appears in the world’s most renowned concert halls, such as the Musikverein and Konzerthaus in Vienna, Grosses Festspielhaus Salzburg, Usher Hall Edinburgh, and the Symphony Hall in Chicago.
Danzmayr received his musical training at the University Mozarteum in Salzburg where, after initially studying piano, he went on to study conducting in the class of Dennis Russell Davies.
He was also strongly influenced by Pierre Boulez and Claudio Abbado in his time as conducting stipendiate of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra and by Leif Segerstam during his additional studies in the conducting class of the Sibelius Academy. Subsequently, he gained significant experience as assistant to Neeme Järvi, Stephane Deneve, Sir Andrew Davis, and Pierre Boulez, who entrusted Danzmayr with the preparatory rehearsals for his own music.
