James Levine

American pianist and conductor James Levine conducts with a towel over his shoulder the orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera during a rehearsal in Frankfurt, Germany, 13 May 1996. James Levine comes from a musical family background. At the age of 10, he was a soloist in Mendelssohn's 2nd Piano Concerto at a youth concert of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In 1956 Levine took piano lessons with Rudolf Serkin at the Marlboro (Vermont) School of Music. In 1957 he began piano studies with Lhevinne at the Aspen (Colorado) Music School. Between 1961 and 1964 he studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York where he took courses in conducting with Jean Morel. After graduating from the Juilliard School he joined the American Conductors project connected with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Between 1964 and 1970 Levine worked with various orchestras and opera houses until he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in New York in June 1971, in a festival performance of Tosca. His success led to further appearances and to his appointment as its principal conductor in 1973. He was its music director from 1975 until becoming its artistic director in 1986, the first in the company's history. He conducted performances at the great festivals in Europe and North America and also toured with the three tenors Pavarotti, Carreras and Domingo on various occasions. In 1999 he became Chief Conductor of the Munich Philharmonic, having made his debut there in 1997. James Levine was born in Cincinnati, USA on 23 June 1943.