Theodore Kuchar (born May 31, 1963) is an American and Ukrainian conductor of classical music and a violist.
Kuchar was born in 1963 in New York City. [1] [2] [3] He started to learn to play the violin at ten years of age, later switching to viola. [4] He graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where his viola instructor was Robert Vernon, in 1982. [5] [6]
In 1980, he was awarded a Paul Fromm Fellowship from the Boston Symphony Orchestra to study at Tanglewood Music Center. [5] [7] He was the principal violist of orchestras in Cleveland, Helsinki, and Cape Town. [1] [4] [8]
In 1987 he became music director of the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra in Australia, [7] a post that he held until 1993. [3] Between 1990 and 2006, he served as the first artistic director of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville; a Theodore Kuchar Scholarship for Excellence in Music was established there after his departure. [1] [9] [10] [11] He was also music director of the West Australian Ballet in Perth until 1993. [6]
In 1992 Kuchar was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Ukrainian State Symphony Orchestra, which changed its name to National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in 1994. [1] In that year he became artistic director and Principal Conductor of the Orchestra. [5] [12] After his contract with the Orchestra ended in 2000, he was awarded the title of Conductor Laureate for Life. [1] [5] Under Kuchar's direction, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine became the most frequently recorded orchestra of the former Soviet Union, [5] [12] with over 60 compact discs under Naxos Records and its Marco Polo label. [6] Theodore Kuchar's complete discography is numbered over 100 with over 90 records under Naxos Records. [13]
Between 1996 and 2006, he was music director and conductor of the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. [5] [14] He founded the Sinfonia of Colorado, a chamber ensemble, in 1997; it was disbanded in 2002. [15] He was also professor and director of orchestral studies at the College of Music of the University of Colorado at Boulder between 1996 and 2001. [1] [4] From 2002 to 2016 he was music director and conductor of the Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra. [16] From 2003 to 2018 he was music director and conductor of the Reno Chamber Orchestra. [17]
His current positions include:
Theodore Kuchar (born May 31, 1963) is an American and Ukrainian conductor of classical music and a violist.
Kuchar was born in 1963 in New York City. [1] [2] [3] He started to learn to play the violin at ten years of age, later switching to viola. [4] He graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where his viola instructor was Robert Vernon, in 1982. [5] [6]
In 1980, he was awarded a Paul Fromm Fellowship from the Boston Symphony Orchestra to study at Tanglewood Music Center. [5] [7] He was the principal violist of orchestras in Cleveland, Helsinki, and Cape Town. [1] [4] [8]
In 1987 he became music director of the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra in Australia, [7] a post that he held until 1993. [3] Between 1990 and 2006, he served as the first artistic director of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville; a Theodore Kuchar Scholarship for Excellence in Music was established there after his departure. [1] [9] [10] [11] He was also music director of the West Australian Ballet in Perth until 1993. [6]
In 1992 Kuchar was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Ukrainian State Symphony Orchestra, which changed its name to National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in 1994. [1] In that year he became artistic director and Principal Conductor of the Orchestra. [5] [12] After his contract with the Orchestra ended in 2000, he was awarded the title of Conductor Laureate for Life. [1] [5] Under Kuchar's direction, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine became the most frequently recorded orchestra of the former Soviet Union, [5] [12] with over 60 compact discs under Naxos Records and its Marco Polo label. [6] Theodore Kuchar's complete discography is numbered over 100 with over 90 records under Naxos Records. [13]
Between 1996 and 2006, he was music director and conductor of the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. [5] [14] He founded the Sinfonia of Colorado, a chamber ensemble, in 1997; it was disbanded in 2002. [15] He was also professor and director of orchestral studies at the College of Music of the University of Colorado at Boulder between 1996 and 2001. [1] [4] From 2002 to 2016 he was music director and conductor of the Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra. [16] From 2003 to 2018 he was music director and conductor of the Reno Chamber Orchestra. [17]
His current positions include: