David Robertson, music director of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, has been named a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Republic’s Ministry of Culture. The award and medal were presented to Robertson by French cultural attaché Marie-Anne Toledano, following the orchestra’s October 14 concert at Powell Hall in St. Louis; among the works on that program was the U.S. premiere of French composer Philippe Manoury’s violin concerto Synapse, with soloist James Ehnes. The Manoury commission was supported by the French-American Fund for Contemporary Music. The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, established in 1957, recognizes significant contributions to the arts and literature, and is awarded without restrictions of nationality or age.
Posted October 20, 2011
