Andrew Altenbach
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
“Exquisite Mozart poured forth under the baton of Maestro Altenbach” writes the St.Paul Pioneer Press. Noted for his "vividly colorful" and "first rate" performances, Andrew Altenbach continues to gain acclaim as one of the rising conductors of his generation.
Mr. Altenbach was recently invited by Maestro Donald Runnicles as the assistant conductor of the world-renown Grand Teton Music Festival. Upcoming symphonic engagements include guest conducting with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and as well as continued relationships cover conducting with the Atlanta and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestras. Entering his 2nd season as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the St.Cloud Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Altenbach builds on a resoundingly successful debut season, noted for the orchestra’s improved musical quality, tremendous rise in ticket sales, and a more personal connection between the orchestra and the community of St.Cloud.
Recent symphonic engagements include guest conducting with St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Minneapolis Musical Offering Series, and Brevard Music Center. Mr. Altenbach has held previous posts as music director for the North Shore Chamber Orchestra, principal guest conductor of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, assistant conductor to the Evanston Symphony, and Conducting Fellow of the prestigious Chautauqua Institution.
Equally comfortable in the opera pit, Mr. Altenbach’s upcoming season involves guest conducting with Opera Birmingham and the Indiana University Opera Theatre. He has been the associate conductor of Central City Opera for the past two seasons, conducting numerous performances and serving as the company’s chorus master. Mr. Altenbach recently made his international debut, conducting La bohème at Opera Africa in Johannesburg. For two seasons, he was associate conductor of the Minnesota Opera, conducting numerous performances and serving as the company chorus master. He also music directed Die Entführung aus dem Serail with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Opera to rave reviews.
Recently Mr. Altenbach has served on the conducting/coaching staffs of the Santa Fe Opera, Music Academy of the West, Cincinnati Opera, and San Francisco Opera Merola Program as well as guest conducting for the Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Opera on the James. At Indiana University, Mr. Altenbach became the first student in the school’s history to music direct for the opera department, and his conducting of Cosi fan tutte earned him recognition in OperaNow magazine under "Who's Hot."
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Altenbach was educated at Northwestern and Indiana Universities. His conducting teachers include David Effron and Victor Yampolsky while studying piano with Karen Shaw, Martin Katz, and Alan Chow.
Mr. Altenbach currently resides in the Twin Cities with his wife, Julia, who teaches high school Spanish and dances Flamenco. He enjoys reading, foreign languages, movies, swimming, running and basketball. In the coming year Andrew is excited to begin work as a volunteer in the inner city Minneapolis Public Schools, striving to ensure that access to music education does not become an anomaly in the times in which we live.
