Alessandro Santoro - harpsichord under construction! (last update 27-03-05)

Alessandro Santoro, son of the Brazilian composer and conductor Claudio Santoro began his piano studies in Germany. With 11 years he was rewarded in the Deutsches Mozartfest and at the age of 12 he received the Prize of Incentive of the Musikhochschule Mannheim and he conquered the 2. Place in the Jugend Musiziert as well as the Prize Best Interpretation of Contemporary Music. Returning to Brazil in 1978, he sang the main role at the first Opera set up in Brasilia, Amahl and the Night Visitors, continuing his piano studies with Ney Salgado. With 16 years, already under orientation of Nise Obino, he entered the Music Department of the University of Brasilia, and already performing in several Brazilian cities, he opened the Official season of Concerts of the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, as soloist of its orchestra, with excellent critics. Between 1978 and 1991 several he performed concerts as soloist with and without orchestra performing orchestral concertos from Bach, Mozart, Santoro and Schuhmann with orchestras of Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Sao Paulo. In 1985, he obtained one of the 4 vacancies of the State Conservatory Tchaikovsky of Moscow, being accepted in Elena Richter's class, student of Heinrich Neuhaus and receiving a scholarship of the now former Soviet Union. He continued performing regularly in concerts in Germany, France and Brazil, with orchestra or as a soloist. In 1991 he finished his post-graduation studies of piano in the Soviet Union, receiving the title of Master of Fine Arts as concert pianist, accompanist and teacher. After participating in the International Festival of Music of Samara, Russia, he formed a duo with the violinist Luís Gustavo Surgik, obtaining success in a series of concerts in Brazil and abroad. In 1992 he accomplished an extensive series of concerts in Russia, performing in Moscow (Sala Tchaikovsky, Dom Druzhbi, Instituto Gnessin), Kazahn and Samara, with the Philharmonic Orquestra of Samara, and Ekaterinburg, with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Ural, having participated in Radio and Television productions. He recorded in Russia, at the time, with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Samara, his first recording under the Russian Label Russian Disk. Having accomplished a Early Music Specialization in Harpsichord and Fortepiano in the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy in Leipzig, Germany, under orientation of Christine Schornsheim, he performed as harpsichordist and Continuo player in Leipzig and Halle, participating in the Bach Festival Leipzig and of several concerts in the Bach Museum and in the Museum of Instruments, having been chosen to play in the commemorative concert of the birthday of J.S. Bach accomplished at the Bose Haus. In 1995 he made a tour in the North of Brazil, performing in cities as Recife, Fortaleza and São Luís, among others. Continuing his improvement on the Harpsichord in Amsterdam at the “Akademie voor oude Muziek” Amsterdam. He continued his harpsichord studies in the Netherlands, and under Jacques Ogg's supervision he obtained the "Certificaat" in 1997, the Diploma of VS in 1998 and his 2nd Phase Studies, Master Degree, in 2000 at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague. As member of "L 'ArcoBaleno" he participated at the Fringe of the XX Festival of Early Music of Barcelona. He was also invited to play in the Fringe Series of the Holland Festival voor Oude Muziek 1997 in Utrecht and concerts in Leipzig and Walldorf, Germany. From 1997 on, extensive performance as harpsichordist continuo player and organizer of Baroque ensembles, participating in several recordings with period instruments at the conservatory, projects with the Baroque orchestra of the conservatory with concerts in Brussels, Die Schöpfung under Sigiswald Kuijken's direction, as well as concerts in Utrecht, Amsterdam, The Hague and Weesp. He is founder of the "Den Haag Baroque Orchestra" that played in November 1998 in concerts in Heidelberg and Walldorf, Germany, as well as in the production of a CD with the Heidelberger Madrigalchor recording the Magnificat and the Symphony in G-major of Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach. Other performance with the Den Haag Baroque Orchestra included works of Zelenka as such us the recording in 2002 of the Matthew-Passion of J. S. Bach. Still in 1998 he participated of Ambronay Academie Baroque Europeene in the production of the Opera of Lully, Thesee, under direction of William Christie with extensive series of concerts in whole Europe in cities like London, Brussels, Paris, Utrecht, Lyon among others. In 1999, as member of the ensemble Les Amis was invited to perform in the XXII Festival of Early Music in Barcelona. Also member of the ensemble Musikalische Ergoetzung performed a series of concerts in Austria in cities like Wien, Linz and Salzburg. In October of 2000 he gave his debut as conductor performing the complete Brandenburg Concertos of Bach with the Orchestra of the National Theater Claudio Santoro. In November 2000 he took part in a tour in Spain with the renowned baroque ensemble La Petite Bande under the direction of Sigiswald Kuijken. He performed in January 2001 in Brazil with the Soprano Julia Gooding. In March 2002 he played the John-Passion of J. S. Bach with the Orchestra of the 18th Century under the direction of Frans Brüggen, with concerts in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Vredenburg in Utrecht, Salamanca and Paris. In 2003 He performed with the ensemble La Sfera Armoniosa in the Utrecht Festival and in Potsdam. In 2003 he performed with the ensemble Finis Terrae in Brüssel. Also in 2003 the DHBO performed in the “Sala São Paulo” in Brazil with a program including the Magnificat of Bach. The concert in Germany with the ensemble “Il ritratto dell’ Amore” received excellent critics. Still in 2003 he performed as soloist in the Bach Festival Amsterdam. He also performed in Istanbul with the NDHT. In 2004 he played in the Opera production of Les Indes Galantes with the Orchestra of the 18th Century with concerts in the Netherlands, Poland and Italy. Also in 2004 he recorded with the label Ramee a Cd with Violin Sonatas of Leclair's 4th book with Luis Otavio Santos, violin and Ricardo Rodriguez Miranda, viola da gamba. This Cd was awarded with the Diapason D’Or in March 2005. In November 2004 he conducted the OTNCS in the opening of the Brasilia Film Festival performing the score of the film Estrada (music by Claudio Santoro). In 2004 he recorded a DVD with the Baroque Orchestra of Juiz de Fora. He also performed with the DHBO in Brazil the b-minor Missa of Bach. He has been performing as soloist and chamber musician in the main concert halls of Brazil such as Sala Cecília Meireles, Center Cultural Banco do Brasil, National Theater Claudio Santoro (Brasilia), FINEP, Teatro Guaíra, Auditório Claudio Santoro (Campos do Jordão), Sala FUNARTE, etc. and in the most important Music Festivals in Brazil (Campos do Jordão, Festival Villa-Lobos, etc.). He gives Master classes of Harpsichord and Chamber Music at the International Summer Course in Brasilia and at the Brazilian Colonial Music Festival in Juiz de Fora, Brazil. In The Hague he teaches Piano and Harpsichord at the International Cecilia School. From 2001 to 2006 he was Guest Teacher for Basso Continuo and Ensemble Couching at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. At the moment Harpsichord and basso continuo teacher at the "Universidade Livre de Musica"in São Paulo, Brazil