Joseph Silverstein
Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of Orchestras
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Violinist and conductor Joseph Silverstein, widely regarded as one of Boston's most influential musical citizens while serving as concertmaster and assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, has been appointed Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the orchestras at New England Conservatory. Awarded an honorary doctorate by NEC in 1986, Silverstein, 73, is currently Principal Guest Conductor of Seattle's Northwest Chamber Orchestra and Conductor Laureate of the Utah Symphony.
Born in Detroit, Joseph Silverstein began studying violin with his father Bernard who was a music instructor in Detroit's public schools. He went on for formal training to the Curtis Institute where his teachers included three from the pantheon of violin pedagogues—Josef Gingold, Mischa Mischakoff, and Efrem Zimbalist. After leaving Curtis in 1950, he spent three seasons with the Houston Symphony, one with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and one year as concertmaster and assistant conductor of the Denver Symphony. In 1959, he was the silver medalist in the Queen Elisabeth of Belgium competition and also won the Walter W. Naumburg Award in 1960.
Silverstein, who joined the BSO in 1955, became concertmaster in 1962. He was named assistant conductor in 1971. In 1983, he left Boston to become Music Director of the Utah Symphony. He held that position until 1998 when he was named Conductor Laureate. During his tenure in Boston, Silverstein conducted the BSO on more than 100 occasions. He also appeared frequently as a soloist, performing the Elgar, Barber, and other concertos. His Telarc recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons with the BSO received a Grammy nomination. Also while in Boston, he organized the BSO Chamber Players in 1962.
As a violin teacher, Silverstein has worked with many students who now hold prominent positions as soloists, concertmasters, chamber musicians, and professors. Among those he has mentored are Cecylia Arzewski, concertmaster of the Atlanta Symphony; Marylou Speaker Churchill, for many years Principal Second Violin of the BSO and now on the NEC faculty; Ralph Matson, Utah Symphony concertmaster; Rebekah Binford, North Carolina Symphony concertmaster; and current BSO members Ronan Lefkowitz, Joseph McGauley, Sheila Fiekowsky, Jennie Shames, Victor Romanul, and James Cooke.
Also active as a chamber musician, Silverstein is an artist member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and has toured major European cities in a piano quartet composed of pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard, violist Tabea Zimmermann, and cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras. He has recorded the Mozart Sonatas with pianist Derek Han.
Silverstein's recent recordings with the Utah Symphony include Pro Arte discs in which he serves as violin soloist and conductor: an all-Mendelssohn album, an all-Beethoven disk, an all-Barber, and a Grieg/Schumann recording. He has also recorded music of George Perle and Richard Danielpour '80 B.M.
Much sought after as a consultant to orchestras, Silverstein has served as artistic advisor to the Hartford, Kansas City, Louisville, Baltimore, Toledo, Virginia, Florida, Alabama, Winnipeg and Oakland symphonies.
Studies at Curtis Institute of Music with Josef Gingold, Mischa Mischakoff, and Efrem Zimbalist. Current principal guest conductor of Seattle's Northwest Chamber Orchestra and conductor laureate of the Utah Symphony. Former conducting duties with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Denver Symphony. Recordings on Telarc and Pro Arte.
Read a profile of Joseph Silverstein over at NEC Today.