17 May 2010
Conductor James Conlon Inducted Into American Classical Music Hall of Fame
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David Klingshirn presents James Conlon
with a medal from the American Classical
Music Hall of Fame
© Mark Lyons 2010
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Conductor James Conlon was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame on Friday, May 14, following the opening-night concert of the Cincinnati May Festival.
Conlon, who serves as music director of the festival, the Ravinia Festival and Los Angeles Opera, was presented with the award by David Klingshirn, founder of the American Classical Music Hall of Fame, and Trish Bryant, president of the organization's board. Conlon joins a list of conductors inducted into the Hall of Fame that includes Leonard Bernstein, George Szell, Lorin Maazel, James Levine, Michael Tilson Thomas and Zubin Mehta.
Conlon's fellow honorees included composer John Adams, Midori, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the League of American Orchestras. Their induction into the Hall of Fame was announced in November 2009. Conlon is the recipient of two 2009 Grammy Awards and a 2005 OPERA NEWS Award.
The American Classical Music Hall of Fame, which aims to recognize those who "sustain and build interest in American classical music," annually nominates artists and organizations among six categories: composer, conductor, performer, educator, performing ensemble and institution devoted to music. The Hall of Fame was founded in 1996.
This summer, Conlon leads two May Festival concerts before travelling to Chicago's Ravinia Festival to conduct concert performances of Ring excerpts, as well as concert performances of Così Fan Tutte and Le Nozze di Figaro. In May and June, the conductor also leads three complete cycles of Achim Freyer's new Der Ring des Nibelungen staging at Los Angeles Opera. 
More information can be found at the American Classical Music Hall of Fame and JamesConlon.com.
