Born in 1936 in Mumbai during the British Raj, Zubin Mehta transitioned from early violin and piano instruction to becoming one of the most prominent conductors of the twentieth century. His career spanned continents and major institutions, marked by his appointment as the youngest music director for a major North American orchestra at age twenty-six.
Formative Training
Raised in a Parsi family, Mehta learned to speak Gujarati and sing during childhood. His father, Mehli Mehta, founder of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra, provided his early musical foundation. After attending St. Mary's School and St. Xavier's College, he moved to Vienna in 1954. Between 1954 and 1957, he studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, where he also played double bass in the Vienna Chamber Orchestra. He graduated with a conducting diploma in 1957.
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Mehta achieved early recognition by winning the Liverpool International Conductor's Competition in 1958, which led to a tenure with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. His professional trajectory accelerated during the 1960s as he substituted for conductors globally. He served as music director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra from 1961 to 1967 and led the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1962 to 1978, simultaneously directing two orchestras during his early years.
International Appointments
Mehta held significant roles with major international ensembles, including a long-standing association with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, where he became music director for life in 1981. He served as music director of the New York Philharmonic from 1978 to 1991 and was the chief conductor of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino between 1985 and 2017. He also maintained memberships with the Vienna State Opera company and the Bavarian State Orchestra.
Distinctions and Honors
Throughout his career, Mehta has received numerous international accolades. These include the Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 1975, upgraded to Grand Officer in 1991. He was awarded the Prize Franco Abbiati Italian Music in 1993, the Tagore Award in 2013, and the Österreichischer Musiktheaterpreis in 2016. In 2024, he received the honorary golden medal of the state capital Munich.
Fast facts
- Born: 1936, Mumbai
- Primary Religions: Zoroastrianism
- Languages: German, Hindi, English, Gujarati
- Education: University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (1954-1957)
- Occupations: Conductor, double-bassist
- Major Employer: New York Philharmonic (1978-1991)
Questions readers ask
Where did Zubin Mehta pursue his formal conducting studies?
He studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna from 1954 to 1957.
What was his first major music directorship?
He was music director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra from 1961 to 1967.
Achievements
- Israel Prize — 1991
- Bavarian Order of Merit
- Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany — 2010
- Great Silver Medal of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria — 1997
- Instruments: piano and double bass
- Genres: classical music
