Eduardo Mata; Led Dallas Symphony

Eduardo Mata, 52, one of Mexico’s greatest conductors and music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for more than 16 years. After Mata took over the Dallas Symphony in 1976, it quickly blossomed from regional orchestra status to worldwide success. The symphony won an RCA recording contract and made 28 recordings, toured Europe in 1985 and twice performed at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. Mata, who composed five symphonies, recently had been working on a music series focusing on Latin American composers. As music director of the National University of Mexico’s philharmonic orchestra from 1966 to 1975, he worked to increase his native country’s interest in classical music. Since leaving Dallas in 1993, he had continued to conduct in New Zealand, Europe, South America and Australia. On Wednesday near Mexico City in the crash of the small plane he was piloting.