Role

:

Conductor

Birth

:

1969 in Sydney, Australia

 

Alexander Briger is a renowned Australian conductor and violist who has made a significant contribution to the classical music industry. Born in Sydney, Australia, in 1963, Briger grew up in a family of musicians. His father, John Briger, was a violist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and his mother, Helen Briger, was a pianist. Briger's parents played a significant role in his early musical education, and he began playing the viola at the age of six. Briger's talent as a violist was evident from an early age, and he quickly became a sought-after performer. He studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and later at the Juilliard School in New York, where he was a student of the legendary violist William Lincer. Briger's time at Juilliard was a formative experience, and he credits Lincer with shaping his approach to music. After completing his studies, Briger returned to Australia and began performing with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He quickly established himself as one of the country's leading violists, and his performances were praised for their technical skill and emotional depth. In addition to his work with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Briger also performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Australian String Quartet. In the early 1990s, Briger began to explore conducting, and he quickly discovered a passion for the art form. He studied conducting with the renowned conductor and teacher Jorma Panula and later with Sir Charles Mackerras. Briger's conducting debut came in 1995, when he led the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7. The performance was a critical success, and Briger was praised for his musicality and sensitivity. Since then, Briger has gone on to conduct orchestras around the world, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also conducted opera productions, including Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni. One of the highlights of Briger's career came in 2003, when he was appointed the chief conductor of the Australian World Orchestra. The Australian World Orchestra is a unique ensemble that brings together Australia's finest musicians from around the world to perform together. Briger's tenure as chief conductor was a great success, and he led the orchestra in performances of works by Beethoven, Mahler, and Stravinsky. In addition to his work as a conductor, Briger has also been a passionate advocate for music education. He has worked with the Australian Youth Orchestra and the Sydney Youth Orchestra, and he has been a guest conductor and teacher at music schools around the world. Briger's contributions to the classical music industry have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 2007, he was awarded the Order of Australia for his services to music, and in 2012, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for his contributions to Australian music. He has also been awarded the Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award and the Australia Council Music Fellowship. Today, Briger continues to be an active performer and conductor. He is the artistic director and chief conductor of the Australian World Orchestra, and he also serves as the principal conductor of the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa in Japan.

More....