Antonio Meneses
Cello
World
Biography
Born in Recife, Brazil, in 1957 into a family of musicians, Antonio Meneses began his cello studies at the age of ten. At 16, he met the famous Italian cellist Antonio Janigro and was asked to join Janigro's classes in Düsseldorf and later in Stuttgart.
He won the first Prize at the 1977 ARD International Competition in Munich and the First Prize and Gold Medal at the 1982 Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.
Appearing in the music capitals of Europe, the Americas and Asia, Antonio Meneses performs with most of the world's leading orchestras (in Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Vienna, Paris, Prague, Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Munich, New York, Philadelphia Washington D.C. and Tokyo).
Among the conductors with whom he has collaborated are Claudio Abbado, Gerd Albrecht, Herbert Blomstedt, Semyon Bychkov, Riccardo Chailly, Sir Andrew Davis, Charles Dutoit, Daniele Gatti, Neeme Järvi, Mariss Jansons, Herbert von Karajan, Riccardo Muti, Eiji Oue, André Previn, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Kurt Sanderling, Yuri Temirkanov and Christian Thielemann.
Antonio Meneses was a member of the legendary Beaux Arts Trio from 1998 through the Trio's retirement in 2008. He has collaborated with the Vermeer Quartet and gives chamber music concerts and duo recitals with pianists including Menahem Pressler and Maria João Pires.
As a recording artist, Antonio Meneses has made two recordings for Deutsche Grammophon with Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He has released the complete works for cello by Villa-Lobos (Auvidis France and Bis), David Popper and CPE Bach (Pan Records).
His recordings include the Six Bach Cello Suites; the complete works for Cello and Piano by Schubert and Schumann; a Beethoven’s cycle CD with Menahem Pressler; Haydn’s Cello Concertos and the Concertino by Clovis Pereira with the Royal Northern Sinfonia, and a CD of Elgar and Gál Cello Concertos with the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Claudio Cruz, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Classical Instrumental Solo."
With the same group, the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Claudio Cruz conducting, Antonio Meneses has recorded in January 2017, still for AVIE, the concerto by Schumann as well as the concerto by Volkmann and the Rococo Variations by Tchaïkovsky.
His first recording with Maria João Pires, The Wigmore Hall Recital, was released in September 2013 for Deutsche Grammophon.
In addition to his busy schedule, Antonio Meneses regularly gives masterclasses in Europe (Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid, Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena), North America (Domaine Forget) and Japan (Tokyo University).
He has taught at the Bern Conservatory, Switzerland since 2008.
Season 2023-2024