Leon Botstein is a conductor, music historian, and leader in education reform. He was educated at University of Chicago (BA) and Harvard University (MA, PhD); since 1975, he has been president and Leon Levy Professor in the Arts and Humanities at Bard College. As music director and conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra since 1992, artistic codirector of SummerScape and the Bard Music Festival, and music director of The Orchestra Now (TON), he is known for expanding listeners’ experience of classical music by performing works by lesser-known virtuosi and excavating forgotten works by popular composers. He is also the artistic director of the Grafenegg Campus and Academy. He is author of Jefferson’s Children: Education and the Promise of American Culture (Doubleday, 1997); Judentum und Modernität: Essays zur Rolle der Juden in der Deutschen und Österreichischen Kultur, 1848–1938 (Böhlau Verlag, 1991; Russian translation Belveder, 2003); Von Beethoven zu Berg: Das Gedächtnis der Moderne (Szolnay Verlag, 2013).
Botstein’s most recent honors include an honorary doctorate of science from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, honorary doctorate of humane letters from Goucher College, and honorary doctorate of music from Sewanee: The University of the South; National Center for Fair and Open Testing’s Deborah W. Meier Award for Heroes in Education; Bruckner Society’s Kilenyi Medal of Honour; Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts, American Academy of Arts and Letters; Harvard University’s Centennial Award; the Austrian government’s Cross of Honor, First Class; Carnegie Foundation’s Academic Leadership Award; University of Chicago’s Alumni Medal; and Leonard Bernstein Award for the Elevation of Music in Society.
