Andrés Tolcachir - Biography

Andrés Tolcachir was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1970. In May 2003, he made his debut in Germany conducting the Dresdner Philharmoniker. Karsten Blüthgen wrote for the Sächsisches Zeitung“..."The young Argentinean Andrés Tolcachir stood at the podium of the 70 musicians of the Dresdner Philharmoniker to devote himself especially to his great fellow-countryman in Tango matters: Astor Piazzolla. And he did it with the same devotion as the orchestra played (…)Highest intensity up to the last tone of “Milonga del Angel”, pure joy of life in “Tangazo”. (…)Alberto Ginastera’s ballet suite “Estancia” with its percussive colours, became a sensorial pleasure. (…) Dynamic and full of temperament, collide the rhythms one to the other”(…).

Among the coming engagements in Europe is his Vienna debut next February at the Konzerthaus, conducting the Wiener KammerOrchester as part of the Internationale Preisträger Series. In program are the sonata da camera by Thomas Daniel Schlee, Haydn 1^st cello concerto with Boris Andrianov as soloist and Mendelssohn symphony n9 “Swiss”.

Mr. Tolcachir lives between Berlin and Buenos Aires. Back in Argentina , in September 2003 he conducted a new production `Le Nozze di Figaro ´ acclaimed for both, public and critics, which was the beginning of his opera company, whose next projects include new productions of Don Giovanni and Cosí fan Tutte. Juan Carlos Montero wrote for the newspaper La Nacion from Buenos Aires “… the musical hierarchy achieved by the conductor Andres Tolcachir was notable, not only did he exhibit stylistic knowledge, but also authority to accomplish the best rendition by the orchestra, equilibrium with the scene and the general feeling exuberated with shades of color, phrasing at all moments full of enchantment and a sense of rhythm within the most genuine Mozartian tradition”. About the same production Daniel Lara wrote for Opera Actual of Spain “From the overture, Maestro Andres Tolcachir, revealed himself as a profound connoisseur of the score and a consumed concerter that has the ability to accompany the voices, allow the singing and enjoyment of the singers, without diminishing or reducing the equilibrium of hisoutstanding musical performance”. Mr Tolcachir has an special interest in finding new talents through extensive open auditions. As as an example, he discovered and gave the first oportunity this year for singing a full opera to Franco Fagioli as Cherubino before he was nominated and finaly won the Neue Stimme 2003.

In 2002, Lorin Maazel named him semifinalist of the Maazel - Vilar Conducting Competition, selected among more than 350 participants worldwide. Mr. Tolcachir holds a Master in Orchestral Conducting from Indiana University , Bloomington, USA, where he had the position of Conductor of IU Opera Studio (2000/2001) and Assistant conductor/Associate Instructor of Indiana University Opera (2001-2002). He also graduated from Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena, Italy, where he studied with Gianluigi Gelmetti, director of the operas of Rome and Sidney. In Argentina he received degrees from Argentinean Catholic University (orchestral and choral conducting) and National Conservatory of Music ‘Lopez Buchardo’, (clarinet and orchestral conducting). His main maestros were Imre Palló, Thomas Baldner, David Effron, Guillermo Scarabino and Mario Benzecry. He also conducted the Rite of Spring as an active student in Charles Dutoit’s masterclasses with the Buenos Aires Philharmonic in the Colón Theatre. From 1995 to 2000 Mr. Tolcachir was Associate Conductor of the Libertador San Martín Symphony Orchestra, and since then 1^st Guest Conductor. Mr. Tolcachir was recipient of scholarships from Indiana University (USA), Accademia Musicale Chigiana (Italy), Freie Universität Berlin (Germany), Colón Theatre Foundation and Mozarteum Argentino (Argentina).

(January 2004)