David Robertson

A consummate musician, masterful programmer and dynamic presence, David Robertson has established himself as one of today’s most sought-after American conductors. A passionate and compelling communicator with an extensive orchestral and operatic repertoire, he has forged close relationships with major orchestras around the world through his exhilarating music-making and stimulating ideas. In fall 2012, Mr. Robertson launched his eighth season as Music Director of the 133-year-old St. Louis Symphony. In January 2014, David Robertson will assume the post of Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney Symphony in Australia.

In September 2012, the St. Louis Symphony and David Robertson embarked on a European tour, which included appearances at London’s BBC Proms, at the Berlin and Lucerne Festivals, and culminates at Paris’s Salle Pleyel. Violinist Christian Tetzlaff was the featured soloist for the tour, which marks the Symphony’s first European engagements since 1998 and first ever with music director David Robertson. In March 2013 Robertson and his orchestra returned to California for their second tour of the season, which included an intensive three day residency at the University of California-Davis and performance at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, with violinist James Ehnes as soloist. The orchestra also performed at venues in Costa Mesa, Palm Desert and Santa Barbara, with St. Louis Symphony Principal Flute, Mark Sparks, as soloist.

In addition to his current position with the St. Louis Symphony, Mr. Robertson is a frequent guest conductor with major orchestras and opera houses around the world. During the 2012-13 season he appeared with prestigious U.S. orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and San Francisco Symphony, as well as internationally with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, and Ensemble Intercontemporain. In past seasons he has appeared nationally with the Boston and Chicago Symphonies, Philadelphia and Cleveland Orchestras, and internationally with the Berlin Philharmonic, Staatskapelle Dresden, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and Sydney and Melbourne Symphonies, among others.

With over 45 operas in his repertoire, Mr. Robertson, who returns to The Metropolitan Opera in October 2012 for Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, has appeared at many of the world’s most prestigious opera houses including The Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Opéra de Lyon, Bayerische Staatsoper, Théâtre du Châtelet, Hamburg State Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and San Francisco Opera.

Born in Santa Monica, California, David Robertson was educated at London’s Royal Academy of Music, where he studied horn and composition before turning to orchestral conducting. Mr. Robertson is the recipient of numerous awards and honors.