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The young conductor conducts the Tonhallen Orchestra in Zurich for the first time. But the 32-year-old from Lausanne doesn’t want to commit himself entirely to music, because life has too many exciting things to offer for that.
Lorenzo Viotti is one of the most exciting conductors of our time. Now the 32-year-old is conducting the Tonhallen Orchestra in Zurich for the first time.
Born into a family of musicians
Born into a family of musicians, the native of Lausanne grew up with his three siblings in France. His mother is the violinist Marie-Laure Viotti. His father was the famous conductor Marcello Viotti, he died at the age of 50 when Lorenzo Viotti was 14 years old.
The 32-year-old musician has fond memories of his childhood and youth. He says in the “Faces & Stories” interview: “My parents gave us the freedom to choose what we want to do. So that wasn’t a requirement – music – that was our wish.”
It wasn’t compulsory – music – that was our wish.
Lorenzo Viotti studied piano, singing and drums in Lyon and Vienna. The Lausanne native completed his conducting training at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Weimar, graduating in 2015.
Viotti made his debut as a conductor in 2013 in the Golden Hall of the Wiener Musikverein. His first major appearances with the Orchester Philharmonique de Nice and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in Manchester soon followed. Viotti has been the chief conductor of the Orquestra Gulbenkian in Lisbon since 2018.
Legend:
Lorenzo Viotti in his element
Instagram / lorenzoviotti
Diverse interests
But far away from the conductor’s podium, Viotti has other passions. He plays tennis, for example, but he also likes risky sports: “I love jumping out of a plane or riding a downhill mountain bike. I know it’s dangerous for my job, but I really don’t care. I have to live, that’s important.”
I know it’s dangerous for my job, but I really don’t care. I have to live, that’s important.”
Viotti is currently living again near his hometown of Lausanne. But he travels a lot and spends little time with his family – he wants to change that: The corona pandemic has opened his eyes to how important this time with his family and friends is.
Legend:
Lorenzo Viotti playing tennis
Instagram / lorenzoviotti
The early loss of his father also shaped him. He still wants to experience a lot and therefore also reduce his work rhythm a bit: “In the next few years you can expect my conducting rhythm to slow down, I’m only 32 years old and there are still a lot of things I would like to learn .»