Elena Schwarz

Conductor

Photo: Priska Ketterer

Elena Schwarz

Swiss-Australian conductor, Elena Schwarz is forging a reputation across different continents for her insightful interpretations, emotional intelligence and an ability to decipher the most complex scores having conducted many premieres and works by Benjamin, Xenakis, Neuwirth, Berio, Donatoni, Lanza, Maor, Streich, Sikora and Filidei.

She has been appointed in the newly created role of Associate Conductor to the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and has guest conducted orchestras in Germany, Scandinavia, Belgium, Switzerland, France, UK and the USA.

Highlights of the past two seasons include conducting the WDR Sinfonieorchester, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Orchestre National Bordeaux-Aquitaine, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Musikfabrik Cologne, Kuopio Symphony, Helsingborg Symphony, Orquesta Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

Schwarz’s operatic experience includes conducting the revival of Alexander Mørk Einem’s Hansel & Gretel at Norwegian Opera this season. She conducted the world premiere of Adam Maor’s The Sleeping Thousand at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence (July 2019) followed by performances in Luxembourg and Lisbon (ENOA). Earlier, she assisted Mikko Franck at the Chorégies d’Orange Festival (Madam Butterfly, Rigoletto) and in Paris (Strauss Elektra), and Kazushi Ono on a new production of Prokofiev’s Fiery Angel in Warsaw (Mariusz Treliński) and at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence.

Forthcoming symphonic engagements include the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Deutsches-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Bremen Philharmonic, South Netherlands Philharmonic, North Netherlands Philharmonic, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Ulster Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lille and she will spend an extended period in Australasia this season conducting the Melbourne Symphony, Queensland Symphony, Tasmanian Symphony and the Auckland Philharmonia.

Elena Schwarz was awarded 1st Prize at the Princess Astrid Competition (Trondheim 2014), 2nd Prize at the Jorma Panula Competition (Vaasa 2015) and was a Dudamel Fellow in 2018-19. Following studies in cello and musicology she studied conducting at the Geneva Conservatoire and contemporary performance with Arturo Tamayo (Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana). Further studies included with Peter Eötvös, Matthias Pintscher, and masterclasses with Bernard Haitink and Neeme Järvi. She was assistant to Mikko Franck at the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Marko Letonja at the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Asher Fisch at the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and has assisted Michael Tilson-Thomas, Gustavo Dudamel and Susanna Mälkki.

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Queensland Symphony Orchestra respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which the Orchestra works, plays, and creates music, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.