Wolff, Hugh
Wolff began his professional career as Associate Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington under Mstislav Rostropovich in 1979. He then served as Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra from 1985 – 1992. His association with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra began with his appointment as its Principal Conductor in 1988; he held the position of Music Director from 1992-2000. Of this partnership, The New York Times wrote: The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Hugh Wolff, has developed an effortlessly polished sound&Mr Wolff shapes his interpretations with impeccable taste. He has toured with the orchestra in the United States, Europe and Japan.
Hugh Wolff became Principal Conductor of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra in September 1997. In 2003 Hugh Wolff extended his contract for a second time, which will see him at the helm of the orchestra until the end of season 2005/06. He has made several recordings with the orchestra, and has appeared at the Salzburg Festival, the Rheingau Festival and Mozart Festival in Würzburg, and in France, Italy and Estonia, as well as on a highly acclaimed three-week tour of Japan. The Sunday Times wrote of their recording of George Antheils Symphonies Nos 1 & 6 the Frankfurt Radio SO under Wolff dazzles throughout.
He appears regularly with all the major North American orchestras, including those of Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Toronto, and he has conducted leading ensembles in Canada, Australia and Japan. European engagements include appearances with the Leipzig Gewandhaus, NDR Hamburg, Philharmonia Orchestras and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Olso Philharmonic, Danish National Radio Symphony, Orchestre National de Lyon and Czech Philharmonic orchestras. Wolff has an extensive discography on the Teldec label, with works ranging from Haydn to Stravinsky with the St Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra. His recordings for Decca include a disc of works by Aaron Jay Kernis with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (Argo label), and a disc with Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He has also recorded the Barber and Meyer Violin Concertos with Hilary Hahn for Sony Classical, which along with the disc of Antheil Symphonies 1 & 6, won a 2001 Cannes Classical Award. Wolff and his wife, Judith Kogan, have three sons: Alexander, Matthew and Aaron.
