Andrew Altenbach

Artistic Director

Hailed by critics in the United States and abroad as "outstanding, first-rate, and a sensitive collaborator," Andrew Altenbach continues to gain claim for his dynamic performances of opera and symphonic repertoire. He is the newly appointed music director of opera at the Boston Conservatory as well as music directorships with the Canadian Operatic Arts Academy and Oberlin in Italy Emerging Artist program.

With a repertoire ranging from Baroque to today, his symphonic credits included guest conducting with the Milwaukee, Atlanta, and Memphis Symphony Orchestras as well as the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. He served two very successful seasons as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the St.Cloud Symphony before moving to Boston. He has been associate conductor as well for the world renownd Grand Teton Festival Maestro Donald Runnicles. He has also been a conductor with the Brevard Music Festival, Chatauqua Instituation, Music Academy of the West, and Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. His work has led him to work with such soloists as Midori, Barry Douglas, Stephen Hough, Roxana Denose and Colin Currie.

Equally comfortable in the opera pit, Mr. Altenbach's recent engagements include Opera Birmingham, Opera Africa, Indiana University Opera Theatre, MetroWest Opera of Boston, and the Temple University Opera Theatre. He was associate conductor and chorus master of the Central City and Minnesota Opera companies for several years, conducting numerous peformances to rave reviews. His opera work has led him to work with artists such as Harry Bicket, Edo de Waart, Paolo Arrivabeni, David Daniels, Bill Burden, Laura Claycomb, and Paul Groves.

As a pianist Mr. Altenbach has served on the conducting/coaching staffs of the Santa Fe Opera, Music Academy of the West, Cincinnati Opera, and San Francisco Opera Merola Program. A constant collaborator with singers and instrumentalists, Mr. Altenbach has given numerous recitals in Chicago, Bloomington, Minneapolis, Des Moines, and Boston. At Indiana University, Mr. Altenbach became the first student in the school's history to music direct for the opera department, and his conducting of Cosi fan tutte earned him recognition in OperaNow magazine under "Who's Hot."

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Altenbach studied conducting and piano at Northwestern and Indiana Universities. His conducting teachers include David Effron and Victor Yampolsky and his piano studies were with Karen Shaw, Martin Katz, and Alan Chow.

Mr. Altenbach currently resides in Boston with his wife, Julia, and their one year old son, Henry. Outside of conducting and playing, Mr. Altenbach has been composing more, reading, studying foreign languages, swimming and biking.