Juanjo Mena

Juanjo Mena
Born Juan José Mena
(1965-09-21) 21 September 1965
Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Occupation Musical conductor
Years active 1997–present
Website http://juanjomena.com/

Juanjo Mena (also known as Juan José Mena; born 21 September 1965, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain) is a Spanish conductor.

Mena began his music studies at the Vitoria-Gasteiz Conservatory. He later attended the Madrid Royal Conservatory, where his teachers included Carmelo Bernaola (composition and orchestration) and Enrique García Asensio (conducting). He also studied conducting with Sergiu Celibidache in Munich on a Guridi-Bernaola scholarship. In 1997, the Basque Government selected Mena to form the Youth Orchestra of Euskal Herria. He subsequently became associate conductor of the Euskadi Symphony Orchestra.

From 1999 to 2008, Mena was artistic director and principal conductor of the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra. With the Bilbao orchestra, he conducted commercial recordings for Naxos Records of music by Jesús Guridi and Andrés Isasi. His guest-conducting debut in North America was with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 2004.[1] Mena served as principal guest conductor of the Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa from 2007 to 2010. He was principal guest conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra from 2007 to 2013.[2]

In July 2010, the BBC Philharmonic announced the appointment of Mena as its ninth chief conductor, effective with the 2011–2012 season, with an initial contract of three years, leading twelve concerts per year.[3][4] Mena directed the BBC Philharmonic in four concerts prior to his appointment.[5] In 2013, Mena extended his contract with the BBC Philharmonic for an additional 3 years. Mena and the BBC Philharmonic have commercially recorded music of Gabriel Pierné,[6] Manuel de Falla,[7] and of Xavier Montsalvatge[8] for the Chandos label.

In 2016 Mena marked the centenary of the birth of Ginastera with performances of the Harp Concerto. The work was performed with Marie-Pierre Langlamet as soloist in venues in the UK and at the Philharmonie Berlin in Germany, the first performance of this concerto by the Berlin Philharmonic and the conductor's debut with the orchestra.[9]

On October 21st, 2016, Mena was announced as the new Principal Conductor for the Cincinnati (Ohio) May Festival, the longest running choral festival in North America.

References

  1. ↑ "Audience Favorite Juanjo Mena Leads Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in Nielsen's "The Inextinguishable," April 15, 17 & 18" (PDF) (Press release). Baltimore Symphony. 9 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  2. ↑ "Edward Gardner ny sjefdirigent for Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester" (Press release). Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  3. ↑ "BBC Philharmonic announces new chief conductor" (Press release). BBC. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  4. ↑ "Juanjo Mena named chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic". Gramophone. July 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  5. ↑ Íñigo Gurruchaga (2010-07-07). "La Filarmónica de la BBC nombra a Juanjo Mena su director titular". El Correo. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  6. ↑ Andrew Clements (2011-01-06). "Pierné: Piano Concerto; Ramuntcho Suites Nos 1 & 2; etc – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
  7. ↑ Andrew Clements (2012-02-23). "Falla: The Three Cornered Hat; Nights in the Gardens of Spain; Homenajes – review; Bavouzet/Lojendio/BBCPO/Mena (Chandos)". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
  8. ↑ Tim Ashley (2012-09-13). "Montsalvatge: Calidoscopi Simfònic; Simfonia de Rèquiem/Partita 1958/Cinco Canciones Negras – review; Hughes/Mouriz/BBC Philharmonic/Mena (Chandos)". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
  9. ↑ "Celebrating Ginastera at 100". gramophone.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2016.

External links

Cultural offices
Preceded by
Theo Alcántara		 Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, Bilbao Symphony Orchestra
1999-2008 		Succeeded by
Günter Neuhold
Preceded by
Gianandrea Noseda		 Chief Conductor, BBC Philharmonic
2011-present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
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