Ever personally met a famous Artist / Conductor?

[eyeresist]

In a record shop I sold some Sibelius/Maazel symhonies to Per Nørgård and was able to inform him that "Out of Doors" was a piano suite, not an orchestral work.

Wow! From what I've heard of his symphonies, Norgard is an excellent composer. I hope he was buying the Vienna recordings and not the later Pittsburgh cycle 

[DieNacht]

Wow! From what I've heard of his symphonies, Norgard is an excellent composer. I hope he was buying the Vienna recordings and not the later Pittsburgh cycle 

He was. The old Maazel LPs were worn up, he said; it was back in the late 80s. I´ve always heard a good deal of Sibelius in the 1st Symphony, perhaps especially in the Gardelli recording.

[Gold Knight]

In 1965 {when the world and I were much younger}, I had the honor of meeting Leopold Stokowski in person and shaking his hand at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan. My best friend--who was a member of the All-City Orchestra or Band {don't remember which}-- introduced me to him. Maestro Stokowski was going to conduct my friend's group in one of their performances. He was very gracious, and put me at ease right away. 

[Mirror Image]

In 1965 {when the world and I were much younger}, I had the honor of meeting Leopold Stokowski in person and shaking his hand at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan. My best friend--who was a member of the All-City Orchestra or Band {don't remember which}-- introduced me to him. Maestro Stokowski was going to conduct my friend's group in one of their performances. He was very gracious, and put me at ease right away.

Wow, that's amazing, Steve. Stokowski was one of the greats.

[Gold Knight]

Wow, that's amazing, Steve. Stokowski was one of the greats.

Yes, he was, and for all that, he impressed me as a very humble and unassuming type of person.

[Kastchei]

Well, maybe not well-known outside Spain, but I took composition lessons from Cristobal Halffter last summer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crist%C3%B3bal_Halffter).

Also I'm currently studying with composer Anton Garcia Abril. He's recently been commissioned by Hilary Hahn to write a piece for violin and piano:  http://www.conciertosaugusto.com/en/news/43-anton-garcia-abril-ha-recibido-el-encargo-de-la-excepcional-violinista-americana-hilary-hahn-para-escribir-una-obra-para-violin-y-piano

This is my 4th year with him, and I can say he's really kind and humble, and he knows how to encourage students.

[petrarch]

Well, maybe not well-known outside Spain, but I took composition lessons from Cristobal Halffter last summer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crist%C3%B3bal_Halffter).

Not completely unknown on GMG either .

[Kastchei]

Not completely unknown on GMG either .

Interesting topic! Thanks for the link.

[Kontrapunctus]

I was formerly the recording engineer for my local NPR station, and I recorded hundreds of concerts for broadcast, so I met lots of famous folk. Just to drop a few names, Itzhak Perlman,Yo Yo Ma, Juilliard SQ, Bella Davidovich, Musica Antiqua Kohln, Jean Yves Thibaudet, Melos SQ, Lazar Berman (R.I.P.), Gidon Kremer, Joshua Bell (during his first tour at age 14!), Alexei Sultanov (R.I.P.), David Russell, Julian Bream, Eliot Fisk, Ruth Laredo (R.I.P.) and dozens more.

[DieNacht]

Berman (R.I.P) strikes as a character with an interesting background and apperance; may I ask - do you happen to remember anything in particualr ? Or Bream ?

[Kontrapunctus]

Berman (R.I.P) strikes as a character with an interesting background and apperance; may I ask - do you happen to remember anything in particualr ? Or Bream ?

Oops...I forgot that Berman is no longer with us.    I just got to greet him briefly and tell him how much I admired his playing. He just nodded and smiled--not sure how much English he understood. Bream was another matter! I got to pick him up at the airport and spent about 2 hours with him, including treating me to lunch! He was easily the most personal chap I've ever met, and since he was/is one of my favorite guitarists, that was quite a thrill for me!

[Leo K.]

I've had the pleasure of meeting Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg a few times, and Yo Yo Ma once. Wonderful, down to earth folks. Also, Anne Akiko Mayers is very conversational and pleasant to meet.

[Brian]

Not yet, but I'm hoping some of my friends from college qualify someday. I knew a few very talented people.

[TheGSMoeller]

I conducted my high school wind ensemble my senior year, I'm famous, and you've now met me.
Done.

[springrite]

A very close friend and a fellow member of the Pasadena Rotary Club when I was there was Rachel Worby. SHe was the MD of Pasadena Pops. Well, she may not be considered a top conductor, but she's one of the few conductors who was featured on TIMES magazine.



Alright, it was not because of music. It was a feature article about a messy divorce of the then governor of West Virginia. Rachel was the then wife.