Lorin Maazel, a world-renowned conductor and composer who began his career as a child prodigy, has died at his home in Castleton Farms, Virginia. He was 84.
The cause of death was complications of pneumonia, according to a statement by The Castleton Festival, an annual festival Maazel founded with his wife in 2009, reported Ace Showbiz.
Maazel had been rehearsing and preparing for the festival at the time of his death. He founded the festival to mentor young musicians and to bring new energy to classical music.
Maazel's "leadership and imaginative programming and performances brought inspiration and joy to Cleveland Orchestra audiences around the world," the orchestra wrote in its website, "his importance in our history will be forever remembered."
Maazel's death came a month after he resigned with a "heavy heart" from his position as music director of the Munich Philharmonic, citing health difficulties. At the time he thanked his "literally millions of fans" who had asked him to keep conducting.
Maazel was born in Paris on March 6, 1930, to American parents who studied there. He was a dazzling prodigy. At 5, he took his first violin lesson. At 7, he began studying conducting under Russian maestro Vladimir Bakaleinikoff. At 12, he got his first steady conducting job.
At 16, the young conductor entered the University of Pittsburgh to study language, mathematics and philosophy and played the violin with the Pittsburgh Symphony to help pay his tuition. He was fluent in six languages.
In his lifetime, Maazel guided nearly 200 orchestras in at least 7,000 opera and concert performances, according to a biography posted on his website. He was known for his relentless energy and passion for precision.
