Federico Cortese
Encyclopedia
Federico Cortese has served as Music Director of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras since 1999. He is currently also the Music Director of the New England String Ensemble
and the newly-appointed Conductor of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra at Harvard University
. In summer 2009, he was appointed Principal Conductor of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.
Mr. Cortese has conducted throughout the United States, Australia, China, and Europe.
From 1998-2002, Maestro Federico Cortese served as Assistant Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
under Seiji Ozawa
. In addition to his annual scheduled concerts, Mr. Cortese led the Boston Symphony several times in Boston's Symphony Hall and at Tanglewood
, most notably performing Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and Puccini's Madama Butterfly
. Mr. Cortese has conducted several prominent symphony orchestras, including Atlanta
, Dallas
, Houston, BBC Scottish Symphony, Sydney Symphony, and Oslo Philharmonic.
Opera engagements have included Maggio Musicale in Florence
, the Spoleto Festival in Italy and in the United States, the Boston Lyric Opera
, the Saint Louis Opera, the Finnish National Opera
, Opera Australia
, and the Washington Opera.
Mr. Cortese has been music coordinator and associate conductor of the Spoleto Festival in Italy.
He also served as assistant conductor to Robert Spano
, music director of the Brooklyn Philharmonic
, and to Daniele Gatti
, music director of the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
in Rome.
Mr. Cortese studied composition and conducting at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome and subsequently studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna. Mr. Cortese also studied literature and humanities and holds a law degree from La Sapienza University in Rome.
New England String Ensemble
New England String Ensemble was founded in 1993 by violinist Peter Stickel and cellist John Bumstead to champion strings in performance and education and is one of the country’s leading professional string orchestras...
and the newly-appointed Conductor of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. In summer 2009, he was appointed Principal Conductor of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.
Mr. Cortese has conducted throughout the United States, Australia, China, and Europe.
From 1998-2002, Maestro Federico Cortese served as Assistant Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
under Seiji Ozawa
Seiji Ozawa
is a Japanese conductor, particularly noted for his interpretations of large-scale late Romantic works. He is most known for his work as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the Vienna State Opera.-Early years:...
. In addition to his annual scheduled concerts, Mr. Cortese led the Boston Symphony several times in Boston's Symphony Hall and at Tanglewood
Tanglewood
Tanglewood is an estate and music venue in Lenox and Stockbridge, Massachusetts. It is the home of the annual summer Tanglewood Music Festival and the Tanglewood Jazz Festival, and has been the Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer home since 1937. It was the venue of the Berkshire Festival.- History...
, most notably performing Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and Puccini's Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Puccini based his opera in part on the short story "Madame Butterfly" by John Luther Long, which was dramatized by David Belasco...
. Mr. Cortese has conducted several prominent symphony orchestras, including Atlanta
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Robert Spano has been its music director since 2001...
, Dallas
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra. It performs its concerts in the Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States....
, Houston, BBC Scottish Symphony, Sydney Symphony, and Oslo Philharmonic.
Opera engagements have included Maggio Musicale in Florence
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is an annual opera festival which was founded in April 1933 by conductor Vittorio Gui with the aim of presenting contemporary and forgotten operas in visually dramatic productions. It was the first music festival in Italy. The first opera presented was Verdi's early...
, the Spoleto Festival in Italy and in the United States, the Boston Lyric Opera
Boston Lyric Opera
Boston Lyric Opera is an American opera company based in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1976.Each season, BLO produces three mainstage productions at the Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theatre in Boston and a fully staged, one-hour English language version of a popular opera for school...
, the Saint Louis Opera, the Finnish National Opera
Finnish National Opera
The Finnish National Opera in Helsinki is the leading opera company in Finland. Its home base is the Opera House on Töölönlahti bay in Töölö which opened in 1993, and is state-owned through Senate Properties...
, Opera Australia
Opera Australia
Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder of its time spent in the The Arts Centre in Melbourne...
, and the Washington Opera.
Mr. Cortese has been music coordinator and associate conductor of the Spoleto Festival in Italy.
He also served as assistant conductor to Robert Spano
Robert Spano
Robert Spano is an American conductor and pianist. Since 2001 he has been Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra , and he served as Music Director of the Brooklyn Philharmonic from 1996 to 2004...
, music director of the Brooklyn Philharmonic
Brooklyn Philharmonic
The Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, commonly known as the Brooklyn Philharmonic, is an American orchestra based in the borough of Brooklyn, in New York City...
, and to Daniele Gatti
Daniele Gatti
Daniele Gatti is an Italian conductor.Official website: He is currently Music Director of the Orchestre National de France, a role he assumed in September, 2008 , and also Chief Conductor of the Zurich Opera, a position he began in September, 2009; his contract is for three seasons, after which...
, music director of the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia is one of the oldest musical institutions in the world, based in Italy.It is based at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, and was founded by the papal bull, Ratione congruit, issued by Sixtus V in 1585, which invoked two saints prominent in Western...
in Rome.
Mr. Cortese studied composition and conducting at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome and subsequently studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna. Mr. Cortese also studied literature and humanities and holds a law degree from La Sapienza University in Rome.