ECKART PREU, STAMFORD SYMPHONY MUSIC DIRECTOR

MARCH 2

Eckart Preu, Music Director of the Stamford Symphony Orchestra will speak to the Y's Men of Westport/Weston on Thursday, March 2 about "The Symphony Orchestra of the 21st Century." An accomplished pianist, he will also play several selections, combined with his narrative. The meeting begins at 10AM at the Saugatuck Congregational Church, 245 Post Road East

Eckart Preu was named Music Director of the Stamford Symphony Orchestra in June, 2005, after an international search. He is also Music Director of the Spokane Symphony, where he has served since the 2004-2005 season.

Maestro Preu previously held the positions of Associate Conductor of the Richmond Symphony (2001-2004), Resident Conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra (1997-2004), and of the American Russian Young Artists Orchestra (1999-2004).  Other former posts include Music Director of the Norwalk Youth Symphony and Principal Conductor of the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra (NY).  He was associated with the Bard Music Festival since 1997 as both Assistant and Guest Conductor. In Europe, Mr. Preu served as Music Director of the Orchestre International de Paris (1993-1995) and was an Assistant Conductor at Radio France.  As a guest conductor, he has appeared with the Jerusalem Symphony (Israel), the Radio Philharmonic of Slovenia, the Pecs Philharmonic (Hungary), the Varna Philharmonic (Bulgaria), Nouvel Ensemble du Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique de Paris (France), and in Germany with the Jenaer Philharmoniker, the Hallesche Philharmonic, the Thüringer Kammerorchester, and the Landessinfonieorchester Gotha. 

Career highlights include his Carnegie Hall debut in May 1999, a performance at the Sorbonne in Paris, and a live broadcast with the Jerusalem Symphony. His concerts have been aired by WPKT Stamford, KPBX Spokane, WCVE Richmond and Jerusalem Radio.

A native of Germany, Mr. Preu came to the United States as winner of the National Conducting Competition of the German Academic Exchange Service (1996) for graduate studies with Harold Farberman at the Hartt School of Music where he also received the Karl Boehm Scholarship.  In Germany he earned a masters degree in conducting from the Hochschule für Musik in Weimar studying under Gunther Kahlert and Nicolas Pasquet.  He also studied under Jean-Sebastien Bereau at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in France. Mr. Preu's education was made possible by scholarships from the Herbert von Karajan Foundation, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the French Ministry of Culture. In November 1998, Mr. Preu took 3rd place at the International Competition for Young Conductors of the European Union in Spoleto, Italy.

Eckart Preu's early musical training was in piano and singing.  At the age of 10, he became a member of the Boys Choir Dresdner Kreuzchor and went on to work with them as soloist, rehearsal pianist, and Assistant Conductor.  He subsequently served as a vocal coach with the Altenburg Opera and the Erfurt Opera House in Germany.  Mr. Preu was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Bard College, NY (1999-2000) and in summers 2000 and 2001 he served on the guest faculty of the C.W. Post Chamber Music Festival. Eckart Preu is also a frequent guest speaker for local businesses, community organizations and schools.