Obituary: Conductor John Nelson, 83

In Friday’s (4/4) Gramophone (U.K.), Martin Cullingford writes, “John Nelson, the conductor acclaimed for his interpretations—including on award-winning recordings—of the epic works of Berlioz, as well as other large-scale works by Bach and Beethoven, has died aged 83. Born in 1941 in Costa Rica to Protestant missionaries, he studied at Juilliard with conductor Jean Morel, receiving the Irving Berlin Conducting Prize, before becoming Music Director of the Greenwich Philharmonia in Connecticut and the New Jersey Pro Arte Chorale, and also joining the conducting staff of the New York Metropolitan Opera. His career took a huge step in 1972 … with the beginning of a life-long dedication to the music of Berlioz…. Posts Nelson held during his career included Music Director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra from 1976 to 1987, and of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis 1985 to 1988, becoming Principal Conductor there until 1991. He was also Music Director of the Caramoor Festival in Katonah, New York, from 1983 to 1990, and from 1998 for a decade Music Director of the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris.” In 1998, Nelson, his wife, and their daughters moved to France. A tribute by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra discusses his tenure there and adds, “Maestro Nelson conducted the world’s leading orchestras and ensembles … including the orchestras of Indianapolis, Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Montréal, London Philharmonic, London Symphony, Madrid Symphony RTVE, Orchestre de Paris, China Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, and many more.”