Role

:

Conductor

Birth

:

1984 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain

 

Antonio Méndez is a Spanish conductor who has made a name for himself in the world of classical music. Born in Valencia in 1984, Méndez showed an early interest in music and began studying the piano at the age of six. He later switched to the trumpet and joined the local youth orchestra, where he discovered his passion for conducting. Méndez went on to study at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Valencia and the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln in Germany. He also attended masterclasses with renowned conductors such as Bernard Haitink and Sir Colin Davis. In 2012, he won the prestigious Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award, which launched his career on the international stage. Since then, Méndez has conducted many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. He has also worked with some of the most celebrated soloists of our time, such as Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, and Anne-Sophie Mutter. One of Méndez's most notable performances was his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic in 2016. He conducted a program of works by Ravel, Debussy, and Stravinsky, which received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. The Berliner Zeitung praised his "precise and nuanced" interpretation of Ravel's "La Valse," while the Tagesspiegel called his conducting of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" "thrilling and electrifying." Méndez has also been recognized for his work in opera. In 2017, he made his debut at the Royal Opera House in London, conducting a production of Mozart's "Die Entführung aus dem Serail." The Guardian praised his "sparkling and stylish" conducting, while the Financial Times called it "a triumph." In addition to his work as a conductor, Méndez is also a passionate advocate for contemporary music. He has premiered works by composers such as Matthias Pintscher, Peter Eötvös, and Francisco Coll, and has collaborated with ensembles such as the Ensemble Intercontemporain and the Asko|Schönberg Ensemble. Méndez has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. In addition to the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award, he has been honored with the Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award and the Conductor's Prize at the Malko Competition in Copenhagen. He was also named one of the "30 under 30" by Forbes magazine in 2017. Despite his many achievements, Méndez remains humble and dedicated to his craft. In an interview with The Strad, he said, "I always try to learn from every experience, every concert, every rehearsal. I think that's the most important thing for a musician – to keep growing and developing." As he continues to conduct and inspire audiences around the world, Antonio Méndez is sure to remain a leading figure in the world of classical music for years to come.

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