Jansons, Mariss (1943- )

Latvian conductor. He studied in Leningrad, Vienna and Salzburg, and won second prize in the Karajan Competition in 1971. He was assistant conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, then principal conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra from 1979, with tours to Japan, the USA and the Edinburgh Festival. He gave complete Tchaikovsky symphonies with the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra, and in the 1987-88 season made his debuts with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic. His debut at the Salzburg Festival was in 1990, and at the London Proms in 1993 (both with the Oslo Symphony Orchestra). His recordings include music by Tchaikovsky, Svendsen and Shostakovich.