Kurt Masur, Honorary Guest Conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, became Music Director of the Orchestre National de France in 2002 and Honorary Music Director for Life of that orchestra at the beginning of the 2008/2009 season.
He was Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (2000-07), Kapellmeister of the famous Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (1970-96) and Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (1991-2002). Following his eleven-year tenure in New York he was named Music Director Emeritus. He is one of the most sought after guest conductors with all the major orchestras, opera houses, festivals and recording companies of the world, and will surely be remembered from his previous appearances with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra both in Israel and on international tours.
He was born in 1927 in Silesia and received his musical training at the Mendelssohn Conservatory in Leipzig. His conducting debut was in 1949 with the Halle Opera, followed by engagements as Chief Conductor at the city operas of Erfurt (1951-53) and Leipzig (1953-55) and the Dresden Philharmonic (1955-58). He held the dual post of Music Director and Chief Conductor at Mecklenburg (1958-60), the Berlin Comic Opera (1960-64) and the Dresden Philharmonic (1967-72). Since 1975, he has been professor at the Leipzig Academy of Music.
He was awarded many prizes and distinctions, including the Cross with Star of the Order of Merits of the Federal Republic of Germany, the titles of Commander of the French Legion of Honour and New York City Cultural Ambassador, as well as the FurtwäÌngler Prize. Maestro Masur has made well over 100 recordings with numerous orchestras.