Dear friends of the Hartford Symphony,

The HSO has a very special history. It has given many world and U.S. premieres, created historic recordings, impacted generations of children, and one of your music directors was a cousin of Gustav Mahler (!). The possibility of continuing this incredible legacy is both inspiring and humbling.

This moment is the culmination of lots of complex planning and work, but now comes the most fun part—making music. I am really looking forward to discovering what the orchestra and I can do together. During my visit, I am also planning to try some authentic Connecticut pizza and settle one of the most important debates of our time: Patriots or Giants.

Yours,

Yaniv Dinur

Yaniv Dinur is lauded for his insightful interpretations and unique ability to connect with concertgoers of all ages and backgrounds, from season subscribers to symphony newcomers. He currently serves as Music Director for the New Bedford Symphony and the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra. Under his leadership, the New Bedford Symphony has been nationally recognized for its bold, engaging programming and artistic quality, leading to the League of American Orchestras selecting the orchestra to perform at the 2021 League Conference.

Dinur served as Resident Conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra between 2016-2024, during which he conducted hundreds of concerts. Recognizing his leadership and impact, the Milwaukee Business Journal selected him as a 40 Under 40 honoree in 2019, an award for young professionals making a difference in the community. Dinur remains in close contact with the Milwaukee Symphony. He recently returned to the orchestra as a guest conductor, and he plays chamber music with members of the MSO year-round. He is the founder and artistic director of the Winterlude Chamber Music Series at the Villa Terrace Museum as well as the Milwaukee Chamber Music Festival.

Yaniv Dinur made his conducting debut at the age of 19 with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, which led to multiple return engagements. Since then, he has conducted orchestras around the world, including the Israel Philharmonic, Jerusalem Symphony, Houston Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, New World Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Portugal Symphony Orchestra, Sofia Festival Orchestra/Bulgaria, State Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Torino Philharmonic, Orchestra Filarmonica de Madrid, Edmonton Symphony, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. Recent and upcoming guest conducting highlights include debuts with the Utah Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony, New Hampshire Music Festival, and Present Music in Milwaukee. Dinur has collaborated with world-renowned soloists such as Pinchas Zukerman, Yefim Bronfman, and Itzhak Perlman.

Dinur is the winner of numerous awards, among them the 2019 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Fellow Award, 2017 and 2016 Solti Career Assistance Awards, 2nd Prize at the 2009 Mata International Conducting Competition in Mexico, and the Yuri Ahronovitch 1st Prize in the 2005 Aviv Conducting Competition in Israel. He is also a recipient of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation and the Zubin Mehta Scholarship Endowment.

Born in Jerusalem, Dinur began studying the piano at the age of six with his aunt, Olga Shachar. He continued his studies with Prof. Alexander Tamir, and most recently with Edna Golandsky. He studied conducting in Israel with Dr. Evgeny Zirlin and Prof. Mendi Rodan, and holds a Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, where he was a student of Prof. Kenneth Kiesler.