Mariss Ivars Georgs Jansons was a Latvian conductor, best known for his interpretations of Mahler, Strauss, and Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Shostakovich.
31 Facts About Mariss Jansons
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Mariss Jansons first achieved prominence with the Oslo Philharmonic, where he served as music director from 1979 to 2000.
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Mariss Jansons recorded prolifically, and was the recipient of numerous awards.
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Mariss Jansons joined his father in Leningrad, where he began to study conducting, and soon entered the Leningrad Conservatory.
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In 1969, Mariss Jansons continued his training with Hans Swarowsky in Vienna, and then in Salzburg with Karajan.
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In 1971, Mariss Jansons won the second prize at the "Herbert von Karajan" International Conducting Competition.
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In 1973, Mariss Jansons was appointed Associate Conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Mariss Jansons resigned his Oslo position in 2000 after disputes with the city over the acoustics of the Oslo Concert Hall.
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In 1992, Mariss Jansons was named Principal Guest Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Mariss Jansons worked as a guest conductor with the London Symphony Orchestra and recorded Mahler's Symphony No 6 with them for the LSO Live label.
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In 1997, Mariss Jansons became the Music Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
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In September 2006, Mariss Jansons extended his initial BRSO contract to August 2009.
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Mariss Jansons regularly campaigned for the construction of a new concert hall for the orchestra.
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In October 2002, Mariss Jansons was named the sixth Chief Conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, effective 1 September 2004, succeeding Riccardo Chailly.
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Mariss Jansons conducted his final concert as chief conductor of the RCO on 20 March 2015, in the presence of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima.
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Mariss Jansons subsequently held the title of conductor emeritus of the KCO until his death.
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In 2006, Mariss Jansons conducted the Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert for the first time.
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In October 2007, Mariss Jansons conducted Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra for Pope Benedict XVI and 7,000 other listeners in the papal audience hall.
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Mariss Jansons conducted the Vienna New Year's Concert for the second time in 2012, and for the third and final time in 2016.
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Mariss Jansons was awarded various international honours for his achievements, including Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit from King Harald of Norway and memberships in the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna.
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Mariss Jansons was awarded the St Hallvard Medal in 1986.
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Mariss Jansons was awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit in 2007 and in 2010, the Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art.
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In 2008, Mariss Jansons received the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art.
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Mariss Jansons' recording of Shostakovich's Symphony No 13 with Sergey Aleksashkin and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus won the Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance at the 2006 Grammy Awards.
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Mariss Jansons won the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize in 2013.
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On 31 March 2013 Mariss Jansons was awarded a medal of honour "For the Merits before St Petersburg".
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On 4 October 2013, Mariss Jansons received the Grand Merit Cross with Star of the Federal Republic of Germany.
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On 1 November 2013, Mariss Jansons was awarded Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion and received it from Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science Jet Bussemaker.
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Mariss Jansons was the 104th recipient of the RPS Gold Medal.
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In 2018, Mariss Jansons was awarded Honorary Membership of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and in June 2018 of the Vienna Philharmonic.
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On 14 April 2019, Mariss Jansons received the Herbert von Karajan Prize at the Salzburg Easter Festival.