He was an orchestral conductor born in New York City. He was a music arranger and timpanist at his high school and he studied music at Dartmouth College, Harvard and Brown University. He conducted the Rhode Island Philharmonic from 1960 to 1965 and from 1965 was the principal conductor for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, after an invitation by Max Rudolf. Following success with an 8 O'clock Pops concert the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra was formed. He is also known for making jazz recordings of Duke Ellington and Dave Brubeck and conducts the televised National Symphony Orchestra concerts every Fourth of July and Memorial Day. He has made over 83 recordings with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra who have exceeded any other orchestra's entries on the Billboard chart and he made history with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra as the first pops orchestra to perform in China. Recognised for his contribution to music he was honoured with the National Medal of Arts in 2006 and in 2009 he was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame. He was diagnosed with cancer in the April of 2009 and made his final appearance at Riverbend that August before passing away in Maine at the beginning of the following month. On the day of his passing he was given the posthumous honour of the title "Founder and Conductor Emeritus" of the Cincinatti Pops.

Cincinatti Pops Orchestra Recordings

Richard Addinsell

Warsaw Concerto

Telarc 80175 (CD: Selections from Victory at Sea and Other Favorites)

Conductor - Erich Kunzel

Piano - William Tritt

Isaac Albeniz

Fete-Dieu a Seville

Telarc 80129 (CD: The Stokowski Sound)

Conductor - Erich Kunzel

Leroy Anderson

Concerto in C for piano and orchestra

Telarc CD-80112 (CD: American Piano Classics)

Conductor - Erich Kunzel

Piano - Stewart Goodyear

The Last Rose of Summer

Telarc CD-80571 (CD: A Celtic Spectacular)

Conductor - Erich Kunzel

Tenor - John McDermott

Fiddle - Liz Knowles

Silver Arm Celtic Band

Pipes - Kieran O'Hare

Paul Anka

The Longest Day March

Telarc 80175 (CD: Selections from Victory at Sea and Other Favorites)

Conductor - Erich Kunzel

Rochester Pops Orchestra recordings

Leroy Anderson

Bugler's Holiday

Pro-Arte CDD 454 (CD: Syncopated Clock)

Conductor - Erich Kunzel

Sandpaper Ballet

Pro-Arte CDD 454 (CD: Syncopated Clock)

Conductor - Erich Kunzel

Sleigh Ride

Pro Arte 220 (CD: Christmas at the Pops)

Conductor - Erich Kunzel

The Syncopated Clock

Pro Arte CDD-454 (CD: Classical Jukebox: More Favourites of Leroy Anderson)

Conductor - Erich Kunzel

Sources:

Here he is leading the National Symphony Orchestra in the National Memorial Day Concert in 2007...