Lorenzo Viotti
Lorenzo Viotti (born 15 March 1990) is a Swiss conductor. He is currently music director of the Gulbenkian Orchestra, and chief conductor-designate of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, and Dutch National Opera. Biography. Born in Lausanne the son of conductor Marcello Viotti, Viotti studied piano, voice and percussion in Lyon. In Vienna, he attended the conducting class of Georg Mark, and played as a percussionist with several orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic. He continued conducting studies at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar with Nicolás Pasquet, completing his studies in 2015. Growing  up, he enjoyed playing funk and jazz music as a drummer, and played in his sister Marina Viotti's death metal band in order to have the "biggest possible musical vocabulary possible." In 2012, Viotti was recipient of the first prize at the Cadaqués Orchestra International Conducting Competition. In 2015, he won the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Awards. He won the conducting competition of the MDR Sinfonieorchester in 2016. He was chosen "Newcomer of the Year" at the International Opera Award 2017. In January 2017, Viotti first guest-conducted the Gulbenkian Orchestra, and returned in the same season  for a second guest-conducting appearance. In October 2017, the Gulbenkian Orchestra announced the appointment of Viotti as its next music director, effective with the 2018–2019 season, with an initial contract of three seasons. In February 2018, Viotti first guest-conducted the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra (NedPhO). In April 2019, the NedPhO announced the appointment of Viotti as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2021–2022 season. With this appointment, Viotti is scheduled simultaneously to become chief conductor of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and of Dutch National Opera.