Columbia Artists Management Inc., a leading agency representing classical musicians, announced its closure with little notice in a statement on Aug. 29th. After “having endured a prolonged pandemic environment,” CAMI will close effective August 31, 2020.
CAMI was founded 90 years ago in 1930 and has represented legendary conductors including Herbert von Karajan, Leonard Bernstein, James Levine, Antal Dorati and Otto Klemperer since then. Its list of pianists included Vladimir Horowitz and Van Cliburn, as well as singers Leontyne Price, Renata Tebaldi, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Risë Stevens, Marian Anderson, Richard Tucker and Jussi Björling.
The agency’s roster, which is no longer accessible online, listed conductors Seiji Ozawa, Valery Gergiev and Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla; singers Isabel Leonard, Russell Thomas and Brenda Rae; and pianist Maurizio Pollini as current clients.
Under Ronald Wilford’s leadership from 1970 until he died in 2015, the agency represented over 100 conductors and many talented soloists. Wilford was succeeded by Tim Fox who had been with the company since 2000.
