Andrea Pestalozza
Andrea Pestalozza, born in Milan, began his musical career as a pianist and percussionist before starting his second career as a conductor with the Ensemble Orfeo he founded. With the ensemble, he performed works by composers such as Toru Takemitsu and Toshio Hosokawa for the first time in Italy. His repertoire ranges from Bach to contemporary music, of which he is an impassioned scholar. His interpretative style has always been highly valued by many contemporary composers. He has conducted premieres by Salvatore Sciarrino, Hugues Dufourt, Toshio Hosokawa and Claude Vivier. His encounter with György Kurtág has had a decisive effect on his interpretive approach towards contemporary music, and he has interpreted the composer’s works as a pianist as well as a conductor. Andrea Pestalozza is in great demand as a conductor throughout Europe and has led its most renowned orchestras.