‘I couldn’t have planned a better exit if I tried’: Canton Symphony's Zimmermann has died

CANTON − Days after revealing he was under hospice care, Canton Symphony Orchestra’s decades-long conductor Gerhardt Zimmermann has died at age 77.

In a message posted on Zimmermann’s personal Facebook account, his wife, Sharon, announced that Zimmermann had died at 10:38 a.m. Saturday. The news comes just two days after the family notified the orchestra community that Zimmermann had transitioned to hospice care after a significant decline in his health.

An obituary for Zimmermann said he had a flair of lung disease that started a week ago and was unresponsive to treatment.

Zimmermann's family plans to hold an open house at their family home in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 15. A tribute to Zimmermann is being planned in Canton this fall to coincide with the 2023 Canton Symphony Orchestra season.

In her message online, Sharon said Zimmermann had put on the march from the first movement of Shostakovich 7 and held her hand as they did a “rolling march” out of the hospital to go to hospice Thursday.

“Holding hands as we did through tough times, he looked at me and said, ‘I couldn’t have planned a better exit if I tried,’” the post reads.

Zimmermann's impact on Canton and beyond

A native of Van Wert, Ohio, Zimmermann had served as the orchestra’s conductor since 1980, bringing local audiences works by Wagner, Beethoven and Mahler and guest artists such as Andre Watts, Yo-Yo Ma, Gil Shaham and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. Zimmermann, for whom the symphony's performing arts center is named, originally had planned to step down as maestro in 2026.

The Canton Symphony Orchestra posted a message on social media Saturday that reflected on Zimmermann’s impact on the local community and beyond.

“The legacy of Maestro Gerhardt Zimmermann is, and forever will be, a shining beacon of esteemed brilliance that will echo throughout space and time,” the post reads. “This may sound superfluous, but it rings especially true if you were lucky enough to witness the musical power and prowess he wielded with gleeful, resolute gumption every time he graced a stage.”

The orchestra highlighted Zimmermann’s talent, his dedication to music and his advocacy for music education.

“Maestro Zimmermann's contributions have shaped the landscape of classical music and serve as an inspiration for musicians and music lovers alike,” the orchestra wrote in its message.

Beyond Canton, Zimmermann conducted renowned orchestras across the world, including The Cleveland Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Breckenridge Music Festival, the New World Symphony, and several international orchestras and opera companies. He was conductor of the North Carolina Symphony for 21 years in addition to his duties at the Canton Symphony Orchestra.

He also served as the conductor for 13 years at the University of Texas Butler School of Music, where he was named music director laureate.

Reach Repository writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.

On Twitter: @kweirREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton Symphony Orchestra conductor Gerhardt Zimmermann died at age 77