©Photo: IGORSSTUDIO

Antonio Méndez

Conductor

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“It is not difficult to guess that the Spanish conductor Antonio Méndez will have a remarkable career…”
(Rhein-Main-Zeitung)

Principal Conductor: Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife

Spanish conductor Antonio Méndez is fast becoming one of the most exciting, established and sought-after conductors having created strong links with the most important orchestras in Europe.

Over the last few years, Antonio has had great success conducting orchestras such as Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, hr-Sinfonieorchester and Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg.

Antonio begins his third season as Principal Conductor of Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife in 2020/21. Other season highlights include debut with KBS Symphony Orchestra, and appearances with Potsdam Kammerorkester, Kassel Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris and Orchesta Sinfonica de RTVE.

Highlights of recent seasons include acclaimed debuts with the Wiener Symphoniker, , Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Staatskapelle Dresden, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, BBC Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic orchestra, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Russian National Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and New Japan Philharmonic. Also working in opera, the recent seasons Antonio has conducted Ariadne auf Naxos at the Canary Islands Music Festival, Lucia di Lammermoor at the Palma de Mallorca Opera House and L’Elisir d’Amore at the Tenerife Opera House.

Antonio’s recent recording with the Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR on SWR Music (for Berlin Classics) was awarded an Echo Klassik Award. He has also recorded with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for Linn Records.

Antonio attracted international attention as a prize winner at the prestigious 2012 Malko Competition in Copenhagen, and later as a finalist at the 2013 Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award.

Born in 1984 in Palma de Mallorca, Antonio began his musical studies at the Conservatori Professional de Música de Mallorca in piano and violin. He also attended the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid to study composition and conducting. Since 2007 he has been living in Germany, where he completed his conductor training at the Universität der Künste Berlin with Professor Lutz Köhler, also as a member of the Dirigentenforum (‘Conductor’s Forum’ from the German Music Council) and at the Hochschule für Musik ‘Franz Liszt’ Weimar with Professor Nicolás Pasquet.

Antonio Méndez: Rachmaninov- Symphony No.2 | Staatskapelle Weimar Concert held in Hall 1 of Pau Casals de L’Auditori de Barcelona for the Ciclo Orquestas Internacionales – 13/11/2017 © Ibercamera

Antonio Méndez: Tchaikovsky- Seoul Philharmonic

“Méndez’s interpretation was round, but at the same time well organised, with an extremely generous Orquestra Nacional in the tutti and orchestral climaxes.”

(Codalario)

“Right from the beginning he underlined the vehement tutti sounds and the swirling string passages, but on the other side shaped softly and sensitively the vocal parts.”

(Unser-luebeck)

“Méndez, a most animated conductor, drew a reading that blended supercharged thrills in the more bombastic, quasi-military episodes with their tumultuous brass fanfares with brooding introspection in the darker overtones of the opening movement and exquisite, romantic lyricism in the lovely Adagio third movement.”

(Seen and Heard)

“Antonio Méndez conducted Ravel’s two Suites, carefully crafting the colour nuances, balancing instruments in order to create this volatile atmosphere, but without giving into the temptation of focusing only on sound and neglecting the rhythm that is specific to this piece, originally conceived as a ballet.”

(bachtrack)