Italian conductor Giuseppe Mengoli is the 1st prize winner of The Mahler Competition 2023.
“A totally convincing performance throughout the rounds with a perfect combination of knowledge of the score and an extraordinarily natural feeling of music...He possesses a strong ability to inspire the musicians and the audience alike through his musical language which speaks directly to everyone’s hearts.” Jakub Hruša, chief conductor of the Bamberg Symphony
The week following his success in Bamberg, Giuseppe was asked to jump in to conduct a programme including Strauss’ Heldenleben with the Wiener Symphoniker at the Bregenzer Festspiele.
In November 2023 Giuseppe returned to the Bamberger Symphoniker to jump in for Herbert Blomstedt at very short notice, resulting in a critically acclaimed concert. He worked again with the orchestra in February ‘24, for a Bayerische Rundfunk production and will be back in Bamberg for concerts in July.
Otherwise, in 23/24 Giuseppe made his debut with RAI Torino, Opéra Marseille, and is still to make his debut with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, SWR Symphony, Bruckner Orchester Linz, and Orchestre de la Suisse Romande.
Highlights of the 24/25 season, include Giuseppe’s debut with Philzuid, Bochum Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg, Dresden Philharmonic, Bremen Philharmonic, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfonica y Coro RTVE, and returns to the SWR Symphony, RAI Torino and Rotterdam Philharmonic.
In 22/23, Giuseppe finished his time as Assistant Conductor with Lorenzo Viotti at the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam working with Directors such as Barrie Kosky. During that season, he made his debut with the Nederland Kamer Orchester and soloist Leonard Elschenbroich conducting the world premiere of Willem Jeths’ Cello Concerto no. 2 at the Cello Biennale ‘22 and joined the artistic team for the Orchestre National de France’s new production of La Bohème at the Theatre de Champs-Elysees leading all stage rehearsals.
Mengoli’s conducting career began as a result of his increasingly deep passion and interest in the art of leading, which he explored during his work as a concertmaster in youth and professional orchestras from the age of 16, as well as a consequence of his limitless curiosity which brought him to a vast variety of experiences, including the study of multiple instruments, taking part in theater plays and performing with bandas. He has then worked as concertmaster and assistant conductor with Oleg Caetani, Daniel Barenboim, Christoph König, and John Axelrod with orchestras like the Real Orquestra Sinfonica de Sevilla, Oslo Opera House, Sinfonica di Milano, and the Royal Operahouse Covent Garden.
In 2018 Giuseppe made his conducting debut with the Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester in Bad Schandau. During this time, he also served as the concertmaster of the GMJO, the Filharmonica Toscanini as well as a tutti violinist in orchestras like the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin and Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin.
Winner of several international competitions as a violinist, he completed his violin studies with the distinction "cum Laude" and special mention. Alongside the violin Giuseppe also studied percussions, piano, trumpet as well as Jazz and is a composer and arranger. After finishing his Bachelor’s degree in Orchestra Conducting, he completed his Master's degree at the HfM “Franz Liszt” Weimar with Prof. Nicolás Pasquet and Ekhart Wycik.
April 24
