Jun Märkl

Jun Märkl (born 11 February 1959 in Munich) is a German conductor. He was chief conductor at the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Biography

One of three children born to a Japanese pianist mother and a German violinist father,[1] Märkl studied piano and the violin as a youth. Beginning in 1978 at the Musikhochschule Hannover he continued his piano and violin studies and also began to study conducting. He later attended the University of Michigan where his mentors included Gustav Meier. He was also a pupil of Sergiu Celibidache. He later won a conducting stipend to Tanglewood, where he was under the tutelage of Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa.[2]

From 1991 to 1994, Märkl served as Music Director of the Saarländisches Staatstheater in Saarbrücken. From 1994 to 2000, he was Generalmusikdirektor and director of opera at the Mannheim National Theatre. In the U.S. he made his Metropolitan Opera conducting debut in February 1999 with Il trovatore,[3] and returned in December 2000 with Turandot.[4]

In 2005, Märkl became music director of the Orchestre National de Lyon (ONL). With the ONL, he conducted several recordings for the Naxos label, including music of Claude Debussy,[5][6][7] Maurice Ravel,[8] and Olivier Messiaen. Märkl concluded his ONL tenure in 2011. In September 2007, he became principal conductor of the MDR Symphony Orchestra in Leipzig. Märkl resigned from this post after the 2011–2012 season.[9]

Märkl became musical advisor to the Basque National Orchestra (Orquesta de Euskadi) effective with the 2014–2015 season.[10] In November 2014, the orchestra elevated Märkl's title to chief conductor with immediate effect, through the 2015–2016 season.[11] He concluded his tenure with the Basque National Orchestra in June 2017.[12] In May 2019, the Residentie Orchestra announced the appointment of Märkl as its co-principal guest conductor, effective in 2021.[13] In December 2023, the Residentie Orchestra announced the appointment of Märkl as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2025–2026 season, with an initial contract of four years.[14][15]

Outside of Europe, in October 2020, the National Symphony Orchestra (Taiwan) announced the appointment of Märkl as an artistic advisor for the period of 2021–2022,[16] and subsequently as its next music director, effective 1 January 2022.[17] In December 2020, the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra announced the appointment of Märkl as its next music director, effective with the 2021 season.[18] In May 2021, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Märkl as its artistic advisor for the 2021–2022 season.[19] In January 2024, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra announced the elevation of Märkl's title to music director-designate with immediate effect,[20] and his appointment as the orchestra's next music director, effective with the 2024–2025 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.[20][1]

Märkl and his wife Susanne have four children.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Domenica Bongiovanni (23 January 2024). "'A household name in classical music': Indianapolis Symphony names new music director". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  2. ^ John Rockwell (4 August 1987). "Perle's 'Songs' At Tanglewood Festival". New York Times. Retrieved 8 September 2007.
  3. ^ Anthony Tommasini (15 February 1999). "The Met Takes Up A Verdian Challenge". New York Times. Retrieved 8 September 2007.
  4. ^ Anthony Tommasini (14 December 2000). "A Soprano Put to the Test Shifts in Tone and Intensity". New York Times. Retrieved 8 September 2007.
  5. ^ Andrew Clements (30 May 2008). "Debussy: La Mer; Prélude à l'Après-Midi d'un Faune; Jeux; etc, Orchestre National de Lyon/ Märkl". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2009.
  6. ^ Tim Ashley (9 September 2010). "Debussy: Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien / Khamma". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  7. ^ Stephen Pritchard (19 June 2011). "Debussy: Orchestral works Vol 6 – review". The Observer. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  8. ^ Tim Ashley (14 August 2009). "Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé; Shéhérazade Overture". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2009.
  9. ^ "MDR stellt neuen Chefdirigenten vor" (Press release). MDR. 18 April 2011. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  10. ^ "La Orquesta Sinfónica de Euskadi buscará su 'personalidad sonora' de la mano del director Jun Markl". El Mundo. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  11. ^ "Jun Märkl named chief conductor of the Basque National Orchestra" (Press release). Basque National Orchestra (Euskadiko Orkestra). 3 November 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  12. ^ "Robert Treviño, appointed music director of the Basque National Orchestra" (Press release). Basque National Orchestra. 3 November 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Jun Märkl Principal Guest Conductor alongside Richard Egarr". Het Residentie Orkest. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  14. ^ "Jun Märkl, de nieuwe chef-dirigent van Residentie Orkest Den Haag" (Press release). Residentie Orkest. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  15. ^ "Jun Märkl wordt chef-dirigent van Residentie Orkest". NPO Radio 4. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Taiwan Philharmonic Announces New Artistic Advisor, Jun Märkl". Broadway World. 3 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  17. ^ "Taiwan Philharmonic Makes Triumphant Return to the United States Under the Baton of Music Director Jun Märkl". Taipei Cultural Center in New York. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  18. ^ "The MPO Announces The Appointment Of Renowned Conductor Jun Märkl As The New Music Director". Broadway World. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  19. ^ "Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Announces Jun Märkl as Artistic Advisor" (PDF) (Press release). Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. 3 May 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra announces world-renowned conductor Jun Märkl as new Music Director" (Press release). Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
Cultural offices
Preceded by Generalmusikdirektor, Saarländisches Staatstheater
1991–1994 		Succeeded by
Laurent Wagner
Preceded by Generalmusikdirektor, Mannheim National Theatre
1994–2000 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Music Director, Orchestre National de Lyon
2005–2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Conductor, MDR Sinfonieorchester
2007–2012 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Principal Conductor, Euskadiko Orkestra
2014–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Music Director, National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan
2022–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
Preceded by Music Director, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
2024–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent