Andrew Manze

Andrew Manze
helsingborgskonserthus · CC BY 2.0 · source
Name	Andrew Manze
Caption	Andrew Manze conducting
Birth date	1970
Birth place	Cheshire, England
Occupation	Conductor, violinist, musicologist
Years active	1991–present

Andrew Manze is an English conductor, baroque violinist, and musicologist noted for his interpretations of Baroque and Classical repertoire. He has held principal conducting posts with prominent orchestras and ensembles across Europe and recorded extensively for period and modern instrument repertoires. His work bridges performance, scholarship, and pedagogy, engaging with institutions, festivals, and recording labels.

Early life and education

Born in Cheshire, England, Manze studied violin and musicology at the University of Manchester and pursued advanced baroque violin studies at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. His teachers and mentors included figures associated with Historically Informed Performance such as specialists from the Early Music Movement and practitioners linked to ensembles like The English Concert and Academy of Ancient Music. During his formative years he engaged with early music festivals including the Aldeburgh Festival and the Glyndebourne Festival which shaped his interest in period performance practice.

Career

Manze began his professional career as a baroque violinist with ensembles such as The English Concert, The Academy of Ancient Music, and The Hanover Band. He served as director of chamber groups and played as leader with orchestras connected to the Early Opera Company and the Gabrieli Consort & Players. Transitioning to conducting, he took up roles that linked baroque and classical repertory, collaborating with ensembles like The Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. His guest appearances have included invitations to the Berlin Philharmonie, Concertgebouw, Wigmore Hall, and festivals such as the BBC Proms and the Edinburgh International Festival.

Recordings and repertoire

Manze's discography spans baroque composers such as Arcangelo Corelli, Antonio Vivaldi, George Frideric Handel, and Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as Classical repertoire including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. He has recorded commercially for labels associated with Decca Classics, Harmonia Mundi, and Hyperion Records, producing award-winning recordings that feature works by Henry Purcell, Georg Philipp Telemann, and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. His repertoire emphasizes period-informed interpretations of concertos, cantatas, symphonies, and oratorio, and he has contributed to recordings of lesser-known composers connected to the North German Baroque and the Galant style.

Conducting and leadership roles

Manze served as Chief Conductor of the Halle Orchestra and held principal positions with ensembles such as the BBC Philharmonic and the Nederlandse Bachvereniging. He has been Music Director of chamber orchestras and period-instrument ensembles, leading projects at institutions like the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, and the Komische Oper Berlin. Guest conducting appearances include work with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the MusicAeterna ensemble. His leadership encompassed recording cycles, staged oratorio productions, and symphonic programs at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and the Elbphilharmonie.

Teaching and academic work

Manze has held teaching posts and given masterclasses at conservatoires including the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has lectured at universities such as the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and the University of Manchester on topics connected to Baroque performance practice, historically informed technique, and editorial issues in early music. He has contributed program notes and scholarly essays for festivals and labels, collaborating with musicologists associated with institutions like the Royal Musical Association and the International Musicological Society.

Awards and honours

Manze's recordings and leadership have been recognised by awards and nominations from institutions such as the Gramophone Awards, the BBC Music Magazine Awards, and national arts bodies including Arts Council England. He has received critical acclaim in outlets like The Guardian, The New York Times, and Gramophone (magazine), and has been invited to serve on juries for competitions connected to the International Violin Competition circuit and early music prizes.