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Cape Coral Living Magazine

Southwest Florida Symphony's Maestro Renews Contract & the Community is Thrilled

Jun 30, 2017 03:13PM ● By Melanie Heisinger

Courtesy of the Southwest Florida Symphony's Facebook page.

Recently, the Southwest Florida Symphony's maestro Nir Kabaretti extended his contract. This is something that not inly the orchestra is excited about, but the surrounding communities as well.

Courtesy of the Southwest
Florida Symphony's
Facebook page.

Nir has been with the Southwest Florida Symphony for three previous years. His renewed contract was big surprise announcement that was kept it under wraps. Eventually, the PR team made big public announcement to celebrate the maestro's continued work with the symphony. 

Nir's positive attitude and down to earth personality has made it easy for the staff to get attached to him, executive director Amy Ginsburg informed us. 

When it comes to maestro Nir, "there is a level of musicianship never seen there," Amy told us. "It makes us a higher caliber of orchestra."

The symphony’s board chairman, Tom Uhler said, “The trustees, staff and loyal patrons of the symphony are all thrilled that Maestro Kabaretti has agreed to a three-year extension of his contract. When the announcement about his contract extension was made from the stage at the final concert of the symphony’s 56th season, it was met with enthusiastic cheers from the entire audience. It’s clear that he’s adored by this community.”

In addition to Maestro Kabaretti’s directorship with the Southwest Florida Symphony, he continues to serve as the music director of the Santa Barbara Symphony in California, where he will commence his 12th season this year. He is also in high demand as a guest conductor both nationally and internationally and guest lecturer at some of the most prestigious universities in the country.


Maestro Nir Kabaretti's Bio

Internationally acclaimed conductor, Nir Kabaretti is the Music Director of the Southwest Florida Symphony and continues his tenure as Music and Artistic Director of the Santa Barbara Symphony in Santa Barbara, California. Described as “a conductor with immense musicality and warm personality” by Maestro Zubin Mehta, Kabaretti has earned an impressive reputation across continents for his command of a vast symphonic and operatic repertoire, and his profound knowledge of and sensitivity to the music he conducts.

Born in Israel, Kabaretti began piano lessons at the age of six, later studying piano and conducting at The Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University. He continued his education at the prestigious University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, where he graduated from in 1995. Upon his graduation, Kabaretti began working as coach and chorus master at the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival. He subsequently advanced to positions as Assistant to the Music Director at the Teatro Real in Madrid and personal assistant to Maestro Zubin Mehta at Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, Italy. He was appointed Principal Conductor of the Raanana Symphonette Orchestra in Israel in 2002 and was its Music Director till 2008.

Maestro Kabaretti has worked with some of the world’s most sought-after musicians, leading opera houses, and renowned orchestras. Some of his collaborators include Lang Lang, Placido Domingo, Itzhak Perlman, and Hélène Grimaud. As guest conductor, Kabaretti keeps a busy international schedule throughout the year.

Appearances include the Israel Philharmonic, Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Orchestra del Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Tokyo Philharmonic, Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra, National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Filarmonica de Buenos Aires, Orquestre National du Theatre du Capitole de Toulouse, Orquestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Orchestra del Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova, Orchestra del Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano “La Verdi”, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel Symphony Orchestra of Rishon Le Tzion, Haifa Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Niederösterreichisches Tonkünstlerorchester, La Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid, La Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria, Real Orchesta Sinfònica de Sevilla and the Bochumer Symphoniker. In July 2010, Kabaretti debuted at the summer season of the Caracalla Roman Bath in Rome for Prokofiev’s production of Romeo and Juliet.

Maestro Kabaretti received the America-Israel Cultural Foundation Grant for Young Conductors. In 1993, he won the Forum Junger Künstler Conducting Competition in Vienna. In 1994 he was among the finalists in the International Competition for Conductors in Douai, France.

He is fluent in English, Italian, German, Spanish and Hebrew. 

Info courtesy of the Southwest Florida Symphony's Press Release