Los Angeles, Apr 29: Zubin Mehta, one of the world’s greatest conductors of Western classical music, is celebrating his 70th birthday today. Mehta, a Parsee has been the conductor of the Israel Philharmonic since 1991. Before that, he led the New York Philharmonic (1978-91), the Los Angeles Philharmonic (1962-78) and the Montreal Symphony (1961-67).

Recently, Zubin Mehta published a German-language autobiography titled Zubin Mehta:”The Score of My Life; Memories”.

The son of one of India’s leading musicians, Mehta was born on April 29, 1936. He pursued a medical career before enrolling in the Academy of Music in Vienna. In 1961, aged 25, he conducted the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics and was named music director of the Montreal Symphony. A year later, he added the post of music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He became music advisor to the Israel Philharmonic in 1969, and was later named the orchestra’s music director and then music director for life.

In 1978, he was named music director of the New York Philharmonic, a post he would hold until 1991. He completes an eight-year term as music director of the Bavarian State Opera at the end of the current season.