Christoph Eschenbach

The German pianist and conductor Christoph Eschenbach had a difficult childhood having been orphaned at an early age. The effect on him was profound and he was unable to speak for over a year, eventually finding solace within classical music when his uncle adopted him and started to teach him piano.

He is widely acknowledged as one of the world's greatest conductors but also has a reputation for having a polarising effect on musicians with whom he has worked. His four-year tenure with the Philadelphia Orchestra was a particularly difficult time for Eschenbach and he became mired in adverse publicity about the orchestra's lack of confidence in him. The difficulties he has experienced as a conductor should not, however, overshadow his outstanding career as a concert pianist; he has won numerous piano competitions, including Switzerland's prestigious Clara Haskill competition. Early in his career Eschenbach signed to Deutsche Grammophon and has an impressive recording legacy of more than 80 recordings with the label.

He has appeared in several classical music documentaries and made numerous concert broadcasts for European, Japanese and American television networks. In 2008 he began an eleven-year association with the United States National Symphony Orchestra and at the termination of his contract he is scheduled to become the NSO's conductor laureate.