Lorenzo Viotti

Lorenzo Viotti
Viotti in May 2024
Born (1990-03-15) 15 March 1990 (age 34)
Lausanne, Switzerland
Occupations
  • Percussionist
  • Conductor
Organizations
Parent(s)Marcello Viotti, Marie-Laurence Geneviève Jacqueline Bret
AwardsCadaqués Orchestra International Conducting Competition

Lorenzo Viotti (born 15 March 1990) is a Swiss conductor. He is currently chief conductor of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and Dutch National Opera.

Biography

Born in Lausanne the son of conductor Marcello Viotti,[1] Viotti studied piano, voice and percussion in Lyon. In Vienna, he attended the conducting class of Georg Mark, and played as a percussionist with several orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic. He continued conducting studies at the University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar with Nicolás Pasquet, completing his studies in 2015.[2] Growing up, he enjoyed playing funk and jazz music as a drummer, and played in his sister Marina Viotti's [fr] death metal band to have the "biggest possible musical vocabulary possible".[3]

In 2012, Viotti was recipient of the first prize at the Cadaqués Orchestra International Conducting Competition. He made his professional conducting debut with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in July 2014.[4] In 2015, he won the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Awards.[1] He won the conducting competition of the MDR Sinfonieorchester in 2016.[2] He was chosen "Newcomer of the Year" at the 2017 International Opera Awards.

In January 2017, Viotti first guest-conducted the Gulbenkian Orchestra, and returned in the same season for a second guest-conducting appearance. In October 2017, the Gulbenkian Orchestra announced the appointment of Viotti as its next music director, effective with the 2018–2019 season, with an initial contract of three seasons.[5] Viotti stood down as music director of the Gulbenkian Orchestra in 2021 and subsequently took the title of principal guest conductor with the orchestra.

In February 2018, Viotti first guest-conducted the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra (NedPhO). In April 2019, the NedPhO announced the appointment of Viotti as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2021–2022 season.[6] With this appointment, Viotti simultaneously became chief conductor of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and of Dutch National Opera.[7] In April 2023, Dutch National Opera and the NedPhO, announced the scheduled conclusion of Viotti's tenure at all three posts at the close of the 2024–2025 season.[8][9]

In August 2024, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Viotti as its next music director, effective with the 2026-2027 season, with an initial contract of three years.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Lorenzo Viotti wins the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Awards". Gramophone. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Viotti wird Chefdirigent des Gulbenkian-Orchesters". Musik Heute (in German). 16 October 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  3. ^ Siegal, Nina (3 September 2021). "'We're Like Athletes Here': The Maestro With a Gym Habit". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Lorenzo Viotti Named Next Music Director of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra" (Press release). Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Lorenzo Viotti appointed Music Director of the Gulbenkian Orchestra" (Press release). Gulbenkian Orchestra. 13 October 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  6. ^ "Lorenzo Viotti nieuwe chef-dirigent bij het Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest en De Nationale Opera" (Press release) (in Dutch). Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Lorenzo Viotti aangesteld als nieuwe chef-dirigent" (Press release) (in Dutch). De Nationale Opera. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  8. ^ "Lorenzo Viotti zoekt nieuwe balans" (Press release) (in Dutch). De Nationale Opera. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Lorenzo Viotti zoekt nieuwe balans" (Press release) (in Dutch). Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
Cultural offices
Preceded by Music director, Gulbenkian Orchestra
2018–2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief conductor, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra
2021–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
Preceded by
Marc Albrecht
 Chief conductor, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
2021–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
Preceded by
Marc Albrecht
 Chief conductor, Dutch National Opera
2021–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent