Klaus Tennstedt; Former Conductor of the London Philharmonic

Klaus Tennstedt, 71, former chief conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Known as the “High-Voltage Maestro” for his intense conducting style, Tennstedt studied at the Leipzig Conservatory and held several conducting jobs in former Communist East Germany before fleeing to the West in 1971. He took over the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1974 and established his international reputation three years later when he made his debut in New York. He soon became one of the most sought-after guest conductors in the United States. From 1983 until 1987, Tennstedt was the London Philharmonic’s principal guest conductor and musical director. On his first tour with the orchestra in 1984, he took it to Hong Kong and Japan for 16 concerts in three weeks. He also was the first German conductor invited to perform with the Israel Philharmonic. On Sunday in Heikendorf, Germany.