Yuri Temirkanov, the internationally renowned conductor who led the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for nearly seven years in the early 2000s, died Thursday, a BSO spokesperson said. He was 84.
Born in Nal’chik, Russia, Yuri Khatuevich Temirkanov was considered to be one of the world’s greatest conductors, The Sun reported in 1997, when he was hired by the BSO. He began studying music at 9 and played the violin and viola. He graduated from N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory in 1965.
In addition to his stint in Baltimore from 2000 to 2006, Mr. Temirkanov was the longtime conductor of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra in Russia.
The BSO said it will be dedicating its upcoming weekend concerts to the conductor’s memory.
“Today, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra mourns the passing of our former Music Director and friend, Maestro Yuri Temirkanov,” the BSO said in a statement. “The BSO family remembers him as not only a brilliant conductor, but also a mentor and source of inspiration for us all. In addition to his contributions to the BSO, he was celebrated on the international stage, conducting some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras and garnering overwhelming acclaim.”
Evgeny Petrovsky, St. Petersburg Philharmonic’s deputy artistic director, said the death of Mr. Temirkanov will weigh heavily on Russia and the world.
“Undoubtedly, the Philharmonic is orphaned today because Yuri Khatuevich is not just the first face of the Philharmonic, he is the symbol of the Philharmonic,” Mr. Petrovsky said in an emailed statement translated through a website. “It is hard to say how we will live on.”
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Mr. Temirkanov was known for his distinctive, expressive conducting style.
“You have to feel music,” he told The Baltimore Sun in 2016. “I’ll look at orchestra musicians and ask: Why do you always play with the same expression on your face? How come? Don’t you feel different in each movement?”
Michael Lisicky, a BSO oboist who joined the orchestra in 2003, said Mr. Temirkanov brought an “old school approach to the podium” as he rarely spoke and did most of his direction through singing a passage.
“Yuri will not be remembered for his Baltimore tenure, it will largely be his St. Petersburg leadership and prominent international guest conducting appearances,” Mr. Lisicky wrote in an email. “Even though he made some unpopular changes, repertoire and personnel, he will be remembered for his ability to simply show a phrase.”
Gregory Tucker was the head of public relations for the BSO when Mr. Temirkanov began his tenure in Baltimore. The two grew close, with Mr. Temirkanov becoming the godfather of Mr. Tucker’s son.
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“Despite his demeanor on stage, which was very formal … he had this infectious humor,” Mr. Tucker said. “He was utterly unpretentious, just always interested in people’s backgrounds and who they were.”
Mr. Temirkanov received many Russian and international awards, including the State Prize of Russian Federation in 2018 for his contributions to the development of music, according to his biography on the St. Petersburg Philharmonic’s website.
Despite his impact on classical music, Mr. Temirkanov experienced backlash after saying he didn’t enjoy women conductors.
“Women can be conductors,” he told The Sun in 2016. “I am not against them conducting. But I simply don’t like it. There are women boxing and weightlifting; they can do that. But I don’t like watching. It is only my taste. We all have different tastes. For example, I don’t eat fish.”
He is preceded in death by his wife, Irina Guseva. A memorial service will be held in the Great Hall of the Philharmonic in St. Petersburg on Nov. 5.
Baltimore Sun reporter Mary Carole McCauley contributed to this article.