For 19 years, from 1995 to 2014, David Zinman was Chief Conductor of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, which not only flourished under his leadership but also caused a sensation on the international stage. The Beethoven cycle recorded on CD right at the start of his tenure was a masterstroke, followed by further successes with works by Schumann and Strauss, Mahler and Schubert.
The collaboration was a stroke of luck for both sides, not only musically but also on a personal level. David Zinman has always made it clear that he regarded his time in Zurich as the high point of his career. And whenever people talk of him at the Tonhalle Zürich today – which still happens frequently – they always share fond memories, they speak of the astonishing upturn following difficult times, and remember his witty remarks during rehearsals. (The most frequently quoted remains this: ‘I’m your friend, and I’m your boss’, Zinman said at the first rehearsal, and that is exactly how it turned out).
After his retirement, he remained associated with the orchestra as Conductor Laureate; he also returned several times (together with his late wife Mary) to the Tonhalle Zürich for concerts. As he now celebrates his 90th birthday in the USA, his Zurich friends will be there too: A number of musicians will be travelling there to perform, and the former Artistic Director Elmar Weingarten and his wife will also be joining the celebrations. And from afar, we too – the orchestra, the Executive Board and the Management Team of Tonhalle-Gesellschaft Zürich – send our warmest congratulations.
