Conductor Lorin Maazel Dead At 84

Former Cleveland Orchestra conductor Lorin Maazel died Sunday at age 84. Maazel was born in Paris in 1930 and was a prodigy who began playing violin at age 5. He first performed with the Cleveland Orchestra at age 12, and later serving as music director from 1972-1982. From Ohio public radio station WKSU, Kabir Bhatia spoke with Robert Vernon, who was hired by Maazel as principal violist in 1976, just a few years after Maazel replaced the legendary George Szell. Click the play button above to hear their conversation. In a statement, the orchestra credited Maazel with his “dynamic energy and fresh ideas,â€? which included the first complete recording of Porgy and Bess with an all-African-American cast.