Antônio Meneses

Meneses promoted the music of Brazilian composers, commissioning new works and recording the complete works for cello by Heitor Villa-Lobos. He taught at the Bern Academy of Arts. The Strad wrote that he "was one of the most acclaimed soloists and chamber musicians of his generation".

Antônio Meneses studied at State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart. The recorded working language is Portuguese and German. The field of work recorded is music and cello music performance. Places of work recorded in the authority are Switzerland. Employment is recorded with University of Bern and Bern Academy of the Arts.

• Name — Antônio Meneses • Born — 23 August 1957 • Birthplace — Recife, Brazil • Died — 3 August 2024 • Place of death — Basel, Switzerland • Occupation — * Cellist • Academic teacher • Organizations — * Beaux Arts Trio • Bern Academy of Arts • Awards — International Tchaikovsky Competition

Born in Recife to João Jeronimo Meneses and Rivanice Vieira de Meneses, Meneses was the eldest of five sons. He grew up in Rio de Janeiro. His father played French horn in the orchestra of the Rio de Janeiro Opera. He was the eldest of five brothers who all played string instruments. He played cello from age twelve, taught by Nydia Otero. He played in the youth orchestra of the Municipal Theatre and the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra (BSO). When he was 16, Antonio Janigro discovered him when he played with the BSO. Meneses subsequently studied with Janigro in Düsseldorf and at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart.

In 1977, Meneses won the first prize at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich, and in 1982, he was awarded first prize and gold medal at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, the only musician to win both competitions. He made his American debut with Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra, followed by his New York City recital debut at the Metropolitan Museum of Art the following year. Meneses performed as a soloist with various orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic under Kurt Sanderling, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Meneses performed as a guest at various festivals, including the Edinburgh International Festival, Lucerne Festival, Aldeburgh Festival, Prague Spring, the Pablo Casals Festival in Puerto Rico, the Salzburg Festival, the Wiener Festwochen, the Berlin Festival, and the Mostly Mozart Festival. Meneses regularly played chamber music with the Vermeer Quartet on tour in Europe and in Japan, as well as the Emerson String Quartet and the Amati Quartet. He was the cellist of the Beaux Arts Trio in its final incarnation, performing with pianist and founder Menahem Pressler and violinists Yung Uck Kim and Daniel Hope, from 1998 until the Beaux Arts Trio disbanded in 2008. In recital, he collaborated with pianists such as Pressler, Maria João Pires, Nelson Freire, and Gérard Wyss, He usually played a Matteo Goffriller cello from 1710, and also a cello by Fabrice Girardin, and an instrument by Luiz Amorim and Filippo Fasser.

Meneses was married twice. His first marriage was to pianist Cecile Licad, and the couple had a son, Otávio. The marriage ended in divorce. His second marriage was to Satoko Kuroda. While he never lived in Brazil again after leaving the country to study in Europe, he returned regularly for visits and playing chamber music with friends. In June 2024, Meneses was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme and announced his immediate withdrawal from all his concert engagements and teaching positions. Meneses died in Basel on 3 August 2024, at the age of 66.

Antônio Meneses worked in music and cello music performance. He was employed by University of Bern and Bern Academy of the Arts. He belonged to Beaux Arts Trio and Vermeer Quartet. He worked at Switzerland.

Antônio Meneses is recorded as musician, music educator, soloist, string player and cellist.