BIO
BIO
Described as energetic, instinctive and very gifted, Lorenzo Guggenheim, native of Argentina, is a conductor with an emerging international career conducting opera, new music and the broad orchestral repertoire. Internationally recognized for his vibrant interpretations, Mr. Guggenheim’s career was launched by his debut in the Teatro Colón at age 23, and his performance with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile in 2014, after which he moved to the United States. He is currently based in Toronto where he is Assistant Conductor of the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Co-founder and Director of the Campus Philharmonic Orchestra. Guggenheim's guest conducting appearances also include engagements with University of Washington Symphony Orchestra, Chamber and Campus Philharmonia Orchestras, UW Opera, UW Modern Music Ensemble, Miami Music Festival Chamber Orchestra, Teatro Colón Academic Orchestra, Trapem Chamber Orchestra, Universidad Católica Argentina Symphony Orchestra, Compañia Oblicua, Contemporary Music Ensemble of the Universidad Nacional del Arte, Orquesta Sinfónica de Entre Ríos.
Mr. Guggenheim was twice a fellow with the Seattle Symphony in 2016-18 where he covered Music Director Ludovic Morlot in performances of Debussy’s La Mer and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 as well as concerti with world-acclaimed soloists Inon Barnatan and Sergey Khachatryan. Also assisted Associate Conductor Pablo Rus Broseta in their Shostakovich and Prokofiev Concerto Festivals in 2016 and 2017. His involvement in the Pacific Northwest and Seattle communities includes his position as Conductor and Manager of the University of Washington Campus Philhamonia Orchestra with celebrated performances in the Meany Center for the Performing Arts, one of the region’s premiere theaters.
An example of his creative programming was the performance of Mozart in Vienna which showcased hidden aspects of the wide set of music that the composer wrote during a short period of time in this city. In this orchestral recital that attracted the community’s interest with a broad audience at the popular Brechemin Auditorium, Mr. Guggenheim led the orchestra in several operatic excerpts, symphonic and concertante repertoire, as well as a vibrant rendition of the Sextet Sola sola in buio loco from Don Giovanni. Other highlight was the performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto in E-flat major K. 449 as soloist and conductor.
His committed passion for opera and theater has led him to collaborate with multiple productions including University of Washington Opera’s Ravel’s L'enfant et les sortilèges, where he worked side by side with Music Director Stephen Stubbs, Grammy Award winner for best opera recording in 2015. He was also Conductor of their Fall Concert 2017 and worked as Italian diction coach for Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. Mr. Guggenheim was selected to conduct Poulenc’s Les Mamelles de Tirésias as part of CCM Summer Opera program in Cincinnati, under the mentorship of the renowned conductor and educator Mark Gibson. Among his opera credits are Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas as Chorus Master in the Miami Music Festival, where he was invited by Stephanie Rhodes to assist in the MMF Opera Studio. He also helped the Seattle Opera library in their Verdi’s Aida and Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess’ 2018 productions. His repertoire also includes operas by Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti and Verdi.
As part of the new generation of innovative independent opera in Buenos Aires that is breaking traditions and using innovative technologies in order to attract new audiences, Lorenzo Guggenheim premiered En la Colonia Penitenciaria, a musical-video-installation-theater piece composed by Guillermo Vega Fischer and based on Kafka’s text. The work won several awards from critics and art organizations including the Instituto Nacional del Teatro, Fondo Nacional de las Artes and ProTeatro, and was selected for the distinguished Fiesta del Teatro in Buenos Aires. Mr. Guggenheim also premiered Otras Obstrucciones based on The Five Obstructions film by Lars von Trier y Jørgen Leth, where four talented young composers wrote music and edited a film for an actor and a musical ensemble.
As a dedicated proponent of the performance of new music, he has created strong relationships with several emerging composers as well as with the most prestigious from Argentina including Marta Lambertini, Santiago Santero, Fabian Panisello, Marcos Franciosi and Marcelo Delgado, whose Colores Congelados he premiered in North America. Mr. Guggenheim led the UW Modern Music Ensemble in the highlight concert of the 2017-18 season in a highly-praised performance of Boulez’ Derive in a concert in collaboration with director Cristina Valdes and Ludovic Morlot, whom he assisted for the well-received US premiere of Betsy Jolas’ Wanderlied.
Highlights of his multiple invitations are the performance of Peteris Vasks’ acclaimed Violin Concerto Tala Gaisma with Luke Fitzpatrick and the University of Washington Chamber Orchestra, Stravinsky’s Histoire du Soldat with Compañia Oblicua, and an invitation of renowned Argentine composer Santiago Santero to conduct the Ensamble de Música Contemporánea of the Universidad Nacional de las Artes in Auditorio Victoria de San Juan. As part of the closing concert of the V Festival of Contemporary Music in Mendoza (Arg) Mr. Guggenheim was invited to conduct the ground-breaking Retrato de Inocencio X by Miguel Bellusci for baroque ensemble, modern ensemble and video. Recently, acclaimed contemporary music leader Péter Eötvös selected him to participate in his masterclass with music by Zoltán Kodály and Wolfgang Rihm in Budapest. Mr. Guggenheim holds an Artist’s Diploma in Contemporary Music Ensemble Conducting from the Conservatorio Superior de Música “Manuel de Falla” in Buenos Aires, where he studied with renowned teachers Luis Gorelik, Pablo Gianera and Miguel Bellusci performing Berio’s Folksongs in an exciting graduating recital with Ensamble Tropi.
He published a book about Argentine composer Marta Lambertini’s opera ¡Cenicientaaa..! and a peer-reviewed article in the XXVIII Magazine of the Institute of Musicology Investigation “Carlos Vega” both of them “eulogized by Marta Lambertini and the musicological community.” The live recording of Kay Nicté by Noemí Sozzi, a cantata for solo soprano and ensemble inspired on a Mayan ritual practiced by women on a full-moon night, was recently released in the album “Miradas” by ProDAMUS label of the National University for the Arts (Arg).
Mr. Guggenheim received multiple invitations to the most important workshops and festivals in South America, USA and Europe. Esteemed conductor Leonid Grin selected him to conduct the Sinfónica Nacional de Chile where he performed Mendelssohn’s Fourth Symphony, Weber’s Oberon Overture and Haydn’s Symphony No. 44 in E minor. His mentor Luis Gorelik invited him twice to conduct the Sinfónica de Entre Ríos with repertoire from the twentieth century. As part of the Miami Music Festival Mr. Guggenheim assisted the Opera Studio, conducted several performances of the Chamber Series including works by Stravinsky and Wagner, lead orchestral readings with the MMF Symphony Orchestra in preparation for their New World Center concert and studied daily with Grzegorz Nowak (The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London). Specializing in contemporary music, he participated in the I and II Conducting Seminar with Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire taught by Fabián Panisello (director of the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid), the II Conducting Seminar with Santiago Santero, and the V Contemporary Music Festival in Mendoza. He was also a finalist of the first New Music International Festival in Buenos Aires, organized by Universidad Maimónides at the Centro Cultural Recoleta.
Sought after for his charisma and dynamic interpretations, Mr. Guggenheim was appointed Assistant Conductor of Trapem 2014-15, a string orchestra whose mission is to educate in orchestral performance practice in Buenos Aires. Before travelling to the USA to further his studies, he had a successful beginning of his career in Argentina where he had his professional debut in 2012 and since then he led concerts and collaborated with multiple theaters in Argentina including Teatro Tres de Febrero (Paraná), Teatro Colón, Usina del Arte, Auditorio Juan Victoria (San Juan), Federación Económica de Tucumán, Nave Universitaria (Mendoza), Teatro Maipo, Teatro Astral, Centro Cultural Recoleta, Centro Nacional de la Música, CCK Sala Argentina and Teatro del Globo.
Mr. Guggenheim’s talents have been recognized with numerous scholarships and prizes; he received full scholarships to study at the University of Toronto and University of Washington and was the only graduated with honors in orchestral conducting at the Universidad Católica Argentina in 2014. He was also a finalist of the first New Music International Festival in Buenos Aires. Mr. Guggenheim was a recipient of the UCA International Award to support his studies abroad at University of Washington in 2014 where he developed studies in Choral Conducting with leading conductor Dr. Giselle Wyers, as well as Jazz Free Improvisation with trumpetist Cuong Vu and Musical Theater with Dr. Larry Starr. Premios Hugo, the most important awards for musical theater in Argentina, nominated Mr. Guggenheim for Best Musical Direction in his debut in the genre with the Rocky Horror Show - Argentina. He has also received awards from the Fondo Nacional de las Artes and the Pepsi Music Festival Award for Best Pianist for his impressive performance as a young rising artist.
Trained as a pianist, Mr. Guggenheim conducted Mozart’s Piano Concerto in E-flat Major, K. 449 from the piano and performed several Piazzolla’s works such as Concierto para Quinteto with orchestra. He also performed with UW Symphony Orchestra as pianist int the world premiere of Daniel Webbon’s That is to Say. He is an avid jazz player, having performed extensively in Argentina and holding a private piano studio for more than ten years.
In his spare time, Lorenzo enjoys finding the best ingredients in the local farmer’s market and cooking with his wife. Their shared passion for animals, led them to volunteer in animal shelters and foster dogs.
An avid language learner, Lorenzo speaks fluent English, Spanish and Portuguese, is proficient in German, and has a working knowledge of French, Italian and Latin.
Lorenzo Guggenheim holds a Masters’ degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, an Artist’s Diploma in Contemporary Music Ensemble Conducting from the Conservatorio Superior de Musica “Manuel de Falla” in Buenos Aires, and a Licentiate degree in orchestral conducting from the Universidad Católica Argentina where he began his studies with Carlos Vieu, Lucía Zicos and Guillermo Scarabino.
Mr. Guggenheim is currently based in Toronto where he is part of the University of Toronto Faculty of Music as a full-scholarship doctoral candidate, as well holding positions as Assistant Conductor of the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Co-founder of the new Campus Philharmonic Orchestra and Teaching Assistant under the mentorship of maestro Uri Mayer.
​
*Update August 2018. Please disregard all previous materials.
This biography must not be edited without the permission of the artist.
​
​
​
​
Described as instinctive and very gifted, Lorenzo Guggenheim, is a conductor with an emerging career conducting opera, new music and the broad orchestral repertoire. Hailed as “one of the promises in orchestral conducting in Argentina with international projection,” Mr. Guggenheim’s career was launched with his debut in the Teatro Colón in Argentina at age 23 and his performance with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Chile in 2014, after which he moved to Seattle where he collaborated with the Seattle Symphony’s Prokofiev and Shostakovich festivals in 2016-18 and was twice a Fellow with music director Ludovic Morlot.
Hailing from Buenos Aires, Guggenheim moved to Toronto in 2018 and quickly founded the UofT Campus Philharmonic Orchestra which he serves as Music Director. With the Campus Philharmonic Orchestra, they perform in MacMillan Theatre twice per year for wide audiences. Future engagements include a program of 20th Century music with the Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra and his second invitation with the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra to conduct Debussy’s Nocturnes. He currently serves as Assistant Conductor of the University of Toronto Contemporary Music Ensemble under Wallace Halliday as well as with the UofT Symphony Orchestra, under Uri Mayer.
His past guest conducting engagements include the Orquesta Sinfónica de Mar del Plata where music critic Eduardo Balestena of La Capital stated “…an expert, perfectionist and seriously formed conductor”. Other highlights include Orquesta Sinfónica de Entre Ríos, University of Washington Symphony and Campus Orchestras, UW Opera, and Modern Ensemble, Miami Music Festival Chamber Orchestra, and Orquesta Acádemica in the prestigious Teatro Colón. In 2018, Guggenheim conducted the North American premiere of Toshio Hosokawa’s The Maiden from the Sea to a sold-out audience in collaboration with the composer for the New Music Festival at the University of Toronto. He received excellent reviews from local media: “Under conductor Lorenzo Guggenheim, the 23-member ensemble played with complete unanimity of concentration and produced a gorgeous texture of sound” (Christopher Hoile/Stage Door). In 2019, Mr. Guggenheim was selected as Apprentice Conductor by Orchestra Toronto and invited to conduct in George Weston Recital Hall.
Mr. Guggenheim was invited to give the valedictory speech for his master’s degree graduation ceremony from the University of Washington where he was awarded a full scholarship for his studies. He graduated with honors from the Catholic University of Argentina and is currently enrolled in the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto where he studies under the mentorship of Uri Mayer on a full scholarship for his doctoral degree. He is currently researching the life and works of Franz Schreker.
*Updated Dec 2019. Please disregard all previous materials. This biography must not be edited without permission from the artist.
​
​
​
​
​
Lorenzo Guggenheim, native of Argentina, is a conductor with an emerging international career conducting opera, new music and the broad orchestral repertoire, and described as energetic, instinctive and very gifted. Internationally recognized for his vibrant interpretations, Mr. Guggenheim’s career was launched by his debut in the Teatro Colón at age 23, and his performance with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile in 2014, after which he moved to the United States. He is currently based in Toronto where he is Assistant Conductor of the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Co-founder and Director of the Campus Philharmonic Orchestra. Guggenheim's guest conducting appearances also include engagements with University of Washington Symphony Orchestra, Chamber and Campus Philharmonia Orchestras, UW Opera, UW Modern Music Ensemble, Miami Music Festival Chamber Orchestra, Teatro Colón Academic Orchestra, Trapem Chamber Orchestra, Universidad Católica Argentina Symphony Orchestra, Compañia Oblicua, Contemporary Music Ensemble of the Universidad Nacional del Arte, Orquesta Sinfónica de Entre Ríos.
​
*Update August 2018. Please disregard all previous materials.
This biography must not be edited without the permission of the artist.