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Gerard Schwarz (born August 19, 1947), also known asGerry Schwarz[1] orJerry Schwarz,[2] is an American symphonyconductor and trumpeter. As of 2019, Schwarz serves as the Artistic and Music Director of Palm Beach Symphony[3] and the Director of Orchestral Activities and Music Director of the Frost Symphony Orchestra at theFrost School of Music at theUniversity of Miami.
Schwarz was born inWeehawken, New Jersey, toJewish parents. His parents were both physicians and took him to concerts and opera performances. Schwarz began his trumpet career at age 8. By 12 years of age, he dedicated his life to becoming a musician. He graduated from New York City'sHigh School of Performing Arts[4] andJuilliard School of Music and began his musical career as a trumpeter, performing until 1977 as co-principal of theNew York Philharmonic underPierre Boulez. He began conducting in 1966.
Schwarz champions American composers, past and present. He has made more than 100 recordings with the Seattle Symphony including many American works. In particular, he won acclaim for his recordings of symphonies and orchestral works byWalter Piston,Howard Hanson,William Schuman,Alan Hovhaness, andDavid Diamond.
Schwarz built the strength of the Seattle Symphony. In 1983 it had 5,000 subscribers; as of 2008 it had 35,000.[5] He spearheaded the effort to buildBenaroya Hall for the symphony. However, his leadership style of the Seattle Symphony was controversial among some musicians.[6] A portrait painting of Schwarz by artistMichele Rushworth was unveiled and installed at Benaroya Hall in 2011.
In 1971 he won theYoung Concert Artists International Auditions.
He frequently held multiple positions simultaneously. He was music director of theLos Angeles Chamber Orchestra from 1978 to 1986.[7]
He served as music director of New York'sMostly Mozart Festival from 1982 to 2001.[7] He was the music director of theSeattle Symphony from 1985 to 2011.[8]
From 2001 to 2006, Schwarz was music director of theRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO). He served as music director of theNew York Chamber Symphony and music advisor to Tokyo's Orchard Hall in conjunction with theTokyo Philharmonic.
In 2007, Schwarz was named music director of the Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina, having served as its principal conductor since 2005. He expanded the festival's audience to the largest in its history, enhanced education and programming to include a composer in residence and three new concert series and increased collaboration with An Appalachian Summer Festival, where he is artistic partner for symphonic music programming.
Among the orchestras that Schwarz has led on his other recordings are theCzech Philharmonic, thePhiladelphia Orchestra, theTokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, theBerlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, and theOrchestre National de France. In 2003 he recorded two concertos byPhilip Glass: the Cello Concerto (withJulian Lloyd Webber) and the Concerto for Two Timpanists (withEvelyn Glennie and Jonathan Haas with the RLPO).
He recorded all ofMahler's symphonies andRichard Strauss'stone poems with the RLPO.
As a trumpet soloist, Schwarz has recorded the concertos ofJoseph Haydn andJohann Nepomuk Hummel for Delos.
In 2011, the block around Benaroya Hall was named "Gerard Schwarz Place."
Gerard Schwarz married Jody (née Greitzer[11]) in June 1984.[12] He has four children, including cellistJulian Schwarz.
