Seven-Year Itch: Paavo Järvi's Seventh Season in Cincinnati

(part seven of a continuing series)

CSO program cover, 2007-2008 season

In May, 2007, Paavo Järvi did two things: renewed his contract with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra through the 2010-2011 season with a provision for automatic renewals thereafter and accepted an appointment as music director of L'Orchestre de Paris, beginning in September, 2011.

L to R: General director Georges-Francois Hirsch of L'Orchestre de Paris, Paavo Järvi, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra president Steven Monder

 This in addition to appointments as music director of the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra, artistic director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and artistic adviser of the Estonian National Orchestra, sent a strong signal that a choice lay ahead. The question would wait three seasons to be resolved.

Järvi receiving the MacDowell Society Medal from president Janet Light, Nov. 2007

In November, Järvi received the MacDowell Society Medal from the Cincinnati MacDowell Society in honor of his artistic achievements.  He was awarded the medal by MacDowell Society president Janet Light in ceremonies at the University of Cincinnati College+Conservatory of Music.



One of Järvi's initiatives as music director in Frankfurt was the "Music Discovery Project," a multi-media, crossover series aimed at younger audiences.  In Feb. 2008, Järvi and the orchestra collaborated with popular DJ Mousse T on "A Taste of Beethoven's 5th."



Järvi and the CSO made their second tour of Europe together in April, 2008 visiting 12 cities in five countries, including concerts at the Salle Pleyel in Paris and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.  Russian pianist Nikolai Lugansky and Dutch violinist Janine Jansen were guest artists, performing Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 and the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, respectively.



Reviews were extremely positive throughout the tour.   Here is one from Paris.



And Spain.



Upon their return, they were welcomed home in a public ceremony on Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati.  Järvi (speaking, far right) received a proclamation from the city of Cincinnati on behalf of the CSO.

Audience cheering the CSO at Lakota West High School in Cincinnati

The orchestra got standing ovations in Cincinnati as well as abroad.  Here is one from a community concert at Lakota West High School.