Born: Chicago, Illinois, USA

The American pianist and conductor, Ira Levin, received his first piano lessons at age 10. He enrolled at the the classroom of Donald Isaak, in the Northwestern University Music School, only two years later. Between 18 and 26 years of age, he studied piano with Jorge Bolet, in the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, becoming his assistant.

At 20, Ira Levin won the first prize at the American National Chopin Competition, which launched his career as concertist and recitalist throughout America and Europe, also radio and television. His prodigious reading and musical memory had contributed for the formation of a very expressive and diversified repertoire. Since 26, he started dedicating himself to conducting operas and symphonic concerts. He conducted some of the most important European orchestras, such as as the Dresden Staatskapelle and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. He was assistant conductor of the Opera of Frankfurt and main conductor of the Operas of Bremen and Düsseldorf. Currently, he is musical manager and conductor of the Municipal Theatro of São Paulo in Brazil.

Ira Levin has been presented as soloist in recitals and concerts, besides performing as soloist-conductor in works of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. In April 2004, he conducted the Orchestra Filarmônica de Buenos Aires. In the same year, he became head of the department of conducting of the just-established Superior School of Music of São Paulo, giving continuity to the important work of formation of new Brazilian conductors.

Source: Casa da Ópera Paz Website, English translation by Aryeh Oron (June 2007)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (June 2007)

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