He made his conducting debut in Vienna in 1958 and won the International Conducting Competition in Liverpool the same year. He was also appointed assistant conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and then became Music Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Mehta became Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1962 to 1978. From 1978 to 1991 he served as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the New York Philharmonic. Mehta became Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in 1981. He has been honored by many countries and received Kennedy Center Honors in 2006.