Lionel Bringuier

French conductor Lionel Bringuier is one of the most engaging conductors of his generation, heralded for his artistic maturity, emotional insight, and insightful programming. He appears frequently with the world’s preeminent orchestras, and regularly collaborates with top solo artists both in concert and on critically lauded recordings. During the 2017/2018 season, Mr. Bringuier will make two appearances with the Orchestre National de Lyon, in November 2017 and May 2018. The season also includes engagements with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Finnish & Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestras, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfonica de Castilla y León, Gulbenkian Symphony Orchestra, and Malaysian Philharmonic, among others. Bringuier makes his seasonal return to the Los Angeles Philharmonic in March 2018, with a programme featuring Dvorak, Symphony No.8. Mr. Bringuier’s other programmes this season feature a vast range of repertoire; additional highlights include Dutilleux’ Symphony No. 1, Lutosławski’s Les espaces de sommeil, and Brett Dean’s Amphitheatre, alongside works by Shostakovich, Ravel, Salonen, Gruber, Varèse, Berlioz, and more. Bringuier has appeared as a guest conductor with the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, Philharmonia Orchestra, and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Named Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich in 2012, he now enters his seventh season working with the ensemble. Mr. Bringuier and the TOZ will embark on a multi- city tour throughout Europe in April 2018, with pianist Igor Levit as soloist. Following the landmark inauguration of the Creative Chair Initiative for the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich in his first season, Lionel Bringuier will collaborate with the composer Brett Dean this year. The first-ever Creative Chair was Esa-Pekka Salonen, followed by Jörg Widmann, and most recently Peter Eötvös. Previous TOZ Artists-in-Residence Yuja Wang, Lisa Batiashvili and Martin Grubinger remain frequent collaborators. Mr. Bringuier and the TOZ will open this Lionel Bringuier, biography Page 2 of 3 season with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Brett Dean’s Viola Concerto, featuring the composer as soloist. Mr. Bringuier has conducted numerous premieres, including the world premiere of Bernard Rands' Concerto for English Horn and Orchestra with soloist Robert Walters and the Cleveland Orchestra, and the world premiere of Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Karawane with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. He has also marshaled regional premieres of works by John Corigliano, Marc- André Dalbavie, Magnus Lindberg, Bruno Mantovani, Gubaidulina, and more. Bringuier will lead the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and harpist Xavier Maistre in the premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s “Trans” for Harp and Orchestra. He frequently works with renowned solo artists, including pianists Yuja Wang, Nelson Freire, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Lang Lang; violinists Lisa Batiashvili, Renaud Capuçon, Leonidas Kavakos, Gil Shaham, and Ray Chen; and cellist Gautier Capuçon. His discography includes two Ravel compilations on Deutsche Grammophon, the most recent being a complete survey of the composer’s orchestral works, with performances by Yuja Wang and Ray Chen. Lionel and Nelson Freire are featured on a Decca CD release featuring a curated selection of works by Chopin, as well as a DVD capture of Bringuier’s debut at the BBC Proms. Additionally, Lionel, along with violinist Renaud Capuçon and cellist Gautier Capuçon, put forth an album of Saint-Saëns concerti on the Erato label. Mr. Bringuier has received several accolades recognizing his artistic achievements, including the "Médaille d'or à l'unanimité avec les félicitations du jury à l'Académie Prince Rainier III de Monaco" and the "Médaille d'or" from the city of Nice. He was also honored with prizes from the Schweizer Stiftung Langart and the Cziffra Foundation. In 2007, after he received an assistantship with the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris and an associateship with the Orchestre de Bretagne, Bringuier was selected from nearly 150 applicants to serve under Esa-Pekka Salonen as Assistant Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He became (at 21 years of age) the youngest to do so in the orchestra’s history, and the youngest person to conduct at Walt Disney Concert Hall. His extraordinary rapport with the orchestra, critical acclaim, and instant connection to the audiences led to his reappointment under Gustavo Dudamel and subsequent promotion to Resident Conductor in 2011. Bringuier embarked on a concurrent three-season tenure as Music Director of Spain’s Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León in 2009, where he regularly returns to conduct. Lionel Bringuier studied cello with Philippe Muller and conducting with Zsolt Nagy at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris. He received further career guidance through master classes with Péter Eötvös and Janos Fürst. Bringuier made his professional debut.