ALEXANDER BRIGER AO

Chief Conductor & Artistic Director

Australian World Orchestra

BIOGRAPHY

Described by both Zubin Mehta and Riccardo Muti as a “wonderful conductor and musician”, Australian conductor, Alexander Briger AO is one of Australia’s pre-eminent musicians. Alexander worked closely with both Sir Charles Mackerras, where he developed a strong knowledge of the music of Leoš Janáček, and Pierre Boulez and the Ensemble InterContemporain. He has premiered works by composers such as Arvo Pärt, Bruno Mantovani, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Brett Dean, Olga Neuwirth, Elena Kats-Chernin and Simon Holt and is considered a specialist in the works of Janáček and Britten, as well as Mozart, Brahms and Adams.

Alexander was honoured in the 2016 Australia Day Honours List as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished services to the arts as a leading conductor.

His engagements have included performances of Stravinsky’s Petrouschka and Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican, London, Brahms’s 1st Symphony and Schubert’s 9th Symphony with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel Aviv and Haifa, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte at the Toulon Opera, France, Jay Reise’s Rasputin for the Helikon Opera, Moscow, concerts with the Orchestra of the Teatro San Carlo, Naples and John Adams’ I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky with the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, following a hugely successful debut at the same theatre conducting the Paris premiere of Adams’ Nixon in China.

Alexander has also worked with such orchestras as the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Ensemble InterContemporain, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Paris Chamber Orchestra, Konzerthausorchester, Berlin, Frankfurt Radio Orchestra, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Gothenburg Symphony, Swedish Radio Orchestra, Danish Symphony Orchestra, Salzburg Mozarteum, Belgium National Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Japanese Virtuoso Symphony, National Taiwanese Symphony Orchestra, all the major Australian symphony orchestras and with the London Sinfonietta (collaborating with Peter Sellars and pianist Hélène Grimaud for the premiere of Arvo Pärt’s Lament Tate) among many others.

He has performed regularly with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London (collaborating with such soloists as Maria Joao Pires and Murray Perahia) and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, including their tour to China in 2004 and made his BBC Proms and Berlin Festival debuts with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group (following a recommendation from Sir Simon Rattle) and Edinburgh International Festival debut with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. He has also worked with such soloists as Paul Lewis, Kirill Gerstein, Akiko Suwanai, Isabella Faust, Julia Fischer, Henrich Schiff and Gautier Capuçon.

Considered an opera specialist, Alexander has conducted for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Glyndebourne Festival, English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, Komischeoper Berlin, Aix-en-Provence Festival, Théâtre du Châtelet Paris, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Teatro San Carlo, Naples, Canadian Opera Company, Helikon Opera, Moscow, Royal Danish Opera, Royal Swedish Opera and Opera Australia, amongst others.

Alexander has worked with such singers as Dame Felicity Lott, June Anderson, Elizabeth Connell, Sumi Jo, Bo Skovhus, Gerald Finley, Christine Rice, Nikolai Schukoff, Christopher Maltman and Franco Pomponi and directors such as Jonathan Miller, Peter Sellars, Baz Luhrmann, Neil Armfield, Christopher Alden, Adrian Noble, Dimitry Bertman and Chen Shi-Zheng.

In 2010, he founded the Australian World Orchestra, of which he is the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, and in 2011 conducted their award-winning inaugural season at the Sydney Opera House with Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, which was subsequently released on Deutsche Grammophon, as well as leading the orchestra on their Asia tours to Singapore in 2016 and India in 2018, and for their capstone performance of Mahler’s 9th Symphony in 2023.

Honors

Alexander was honoured in the 2016 Australia Day Honours List as an “Officer of the Order of Australia” (AO) for distinguished services to the arts as a leading conductor, and as founder of the Australian World Orchestra.

Awards for Australian World Orchestra

  • Limelight Magazine Award : People’s Choice – Best Orchestral Concert 2022
  • Helpmann Award : Best Symphony Orchestra Concert 2016
  • Limelight Magazine Award : Best Orchestral Concert 2011

ENGAGEMENTS

Orchestral | Opera

Orchestral

FRANCE

  • Orchestre de Paris
  • Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
  • Orchestre National du Captiol de Toulouse
  • Orchestre de Chambre de Paris
  • Strasbourg Philharmonic
  • Ensemble InterContemporain

 

GERMANY

  • Frankfurt Radio Orchestra
  • South West Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stuttgart
  • Konzerthausorchester, Berlin
  • Komische Oper Orchester, Berlin
  • Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Bremen
  • Hamburg Symphony Orchestra
  • Nordwestdeutsche Radio Orchester
  • Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra

OTHER (EUROPE)

  • Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
  • Rotterdam Philharmonic
  • Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
  • Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano 
  • Orchestra of the Teatro San Carlo, Naples
  • Flemish Radio Symphony Orchestra
  • Danish Radio Orchestra
  • Danish Sinfonietta
  • Belgian Philharmonic
  • Orquestra Nacional do Porto, Portugal
  • Salzburg Mozarteum, Salzburg Camerata
  • Monte Carlo Philharmonic
  • Oslo Philharmonic
  • RTE Symphony, Dublin
  • Belgrade Philharmonic
  • Martinu Philharmonic, Czech Republic

 

ASIA

  • Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Japanese Virtuoso Symphony Orchestra
  • Beijing Symphony Orchestra
  • Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra

 

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND

  • Sydney Symphony Orchestra
  • Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
  • West Australian Symphony Orchestra
  • Queensland Symphony Orchestra
  • Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
  • Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
  • Australian World Orchestra
  • Melbourne Chamber Orchestra
  • Australian International Symphony Orchestra Institute
  • New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

Opera

UK

  • Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
  • English National Opera
  • Welsh National Opera
  • Glyndebourne Festival
  • Glyndebourne Touring Opera
  • Almeida Opera, Aldeburgh Festival

EUROPE

  • Teatro Dell’Opera de Roma
  • Royal Danish Opera
  • Royal Swedish Opera
  • Komische Oper, Berlin
  • Aix-en-Provence Festival
  • Théâtre du Châtelet
  • Teatro San Carlo, Naples
  • Opera du Rhin
  • Opera de Toulon
  • Silesian State Opera, Czech Republic
  • Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris

RUSSIA

  • Helikon Theatre, Moscow

CANADA

  • Canadian Opera Company
  • Montreal Opera

AUSTRALIA

  • Opera Australia
  • State Opera of South Australia
  • Opera Queensland

"Intensely moving - the direction of Alexander Briger is remarkable."

KÁŤA KABANOVÁ – OPERA DE TOULON – GILLES CHARLASSIER
Concertonet.com

"Briger’s handling of the score and both the players and singers was masterly, perfectly paced."

THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA – ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, COVENT GARDEN

"Alexander Briger conducted Brahms' Symphony No. 1 by memory. Played from beginning to end without one dull moment."

ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA – ORNA LANGER

Yisrael Hayom

"A superb Verdian conductor."

RIGOLETTO ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA – DOMINIC MCHUGH
musicOMH.com

"The success of the show is enormously down to the tremendous leadership of Alexander Briger."

NIXON IN CHINA – THÉÂTRE DU CHÂTELET, PARIS – PIERRE-EMMANUEL LEP

Symphonic

Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano – Brahms: Symphony No.4 | January, 2024 

There is a beautiful affinity between Alexander Briger and the Milan Symphony Orchestra which is immediately noticeable. What Briger manages to extract from this passionate reading is a wonderful example of expressive communication and compactness of sound and intention.

 – Luca Fialdini | L’Ape Musicale | 2 February, 2024

Australian World Orchestra – Mahler: Symphony No.9 | November, 2023

Conducting from memory, Briger displayed the confidence and intensity of someone who had prepared all his life for just this concert. This was an intense, blood-on-the-floor performance. Briger and his musicians seemed determined to squeeze every ounce of drama from the score. It was a genuinely virtuosic performance, with flawless solo work and a big, beefy string sound.

– James Paulk | Classical Voice North America | 7 December, 2023

Remarkably conducting the 90-minute-long score from memory, Briger channelled a life-affirming encounter that recalled the landmark Australian performance of this work by the Chicago Symphony under Georg Solti in 1988. For another generation, this account will live long in the memory of those fortunate enough to have experienced it.

 – Tony Way | The Age | 24 November, 2023

Briger brings such energy to the podium, with wide sweeping gestures, a finger thrown out for the next entry, encouraging smiles and a sure grasp of tempo, dynamic and expression. He certainly got the best out of his massive forces. This concert was a display of cohesion and precision, verve and gusto, all in one. Those of us lucky enough to have seen Rattle’s farewell tour earlier with the LSO earlier in the year probably thought nothing could top that, but Briger surely came extremely close.

– Steve Moffat | Limelight Magazine | 26 November, 2023

Briger conducted faultlessly, from memory.

– Malcolm Gillies | Australian Book Review | 26 November, 2023

Queensland Symphony Orchestra | Brahms: Symphony No.2 | May 2021

Briger’s mastery of the podium was evident in every movement of the Brahms. It was an auspicious debut for the conductor, whose charm and virtuosity won ecstatic audience approval.

– Peter Pinne | Stage Whispers | 29 May, 2021

Australian World Orchestra | Janáček: Taras Bulba | Sibelius: Symphony No.2 | July 2019

Briger’s powers on the podium are every bit as world class as the Australian World Orchestra’s previous conductors, Sir Simon Rattle, Zubin Mehta and Riccardo Muti. He is a wonderfully full-bodied, dynamic conductor, scooping up the orchestral forces at his command in a bear hug of expressive physicality.

– Maxim Boon | Sydney Morning Herald | 28 July, 2019

With Janáček, Briger is the natural successor to Mackerras.

Briger conducted with great warmth and vigour and with an exemplary sense of unity. He has a sense of structure and a power of drama and visualisation.

– Peter Craven | The Saturday Paper | 3 August, 2019

This concert was under the fine and confident control of the AWO’s chief conductor and artistic director, Alexander Briger, who conducted entirely from memory.

– Michael Shmith | Australian Book Review | 29 July, 2019

Briger’s combination of warmth for the moment with a taut discipline for the structures was clearly appreciated by the orchestra, and gave the whole evening a wonderful cohesion.

– Peter Hurley | Classic Melbourne | 7 August, 2019

Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra | Mozart: Cosi fan tutte Overture | February 2019

Briger appeared like an animated wizard.

– Marion Fernando | The Sun Daily | February, 2019

Orchestra of Teatro San Carlo, Naples | Mozart: Don Giovanni Overture, Symphony No.29 in A Major | May 2017

The first part of the programme amazed and involved all those present with a vibrant interpretation of the overture to ‘Don Giovanni’. Throughout the concert, Briger showed melodrama and profoundness with great controlled skill, leading the orchestra to powerful and dramatic climaxes. What happened? Through the direction of Briger the public understood how much the effort of the man with the wand counts.

– Ambra Benvenuto | Music Addiction | 7 May, 2017

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | Brahms: Symphony No.1 | Schubert: Symphony No.9 | November 2016

Alexander Briger conducted Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 by memory. It was clearly an innate part of him. Played from beginning to end without one dull moment, with flowing pace and dramatic contrasts of orchestration. The rhythm with which the introduction was played, was impressive. The brass excelled in their playing. Everything was played with a broad, intense sound full of splendor and glory. The Philharmonic and Briger concluded the symphony with electrifying tension.

– Orna Langer | Yisrael Hayom | 13 November, 2016

Australian conductor Alexander Briger managed to communicate to the orchestra his vision of Brahms’ 1st Symphony. Briger’s approach worked. His produced a performance full of character, fiery and belligerent.

– Matan Oren | 13 November, 2016

Australian World Orchestra | Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.5 | September 2016

In Tchaikovsky’s Fifth, Briger, conducting from memory, led with clear, concise and commanding gestures, enabling this bouquet of Australian musical excellence to play with exhilarating unanimity and tonal strength.

– Peter McCallum | Sydney Morning Herald | 30 September, 2016

Alexander Briger conducted impressively without any score, but more importantly this was a reading fully worthy of the esteemed international maestros who have lined up to helm the AWO in recent years. Briger was not afraid to be bold with tempi and dynamic effect. This was an impassioned reading with great weight in the fortes and enormous drive.

– Clive Paget | Limelight Magazine | 29 September, 2016

Ravel’s Bolero totally won me over. Maestro Briger walked to the podium, the music began, but he didn’t conduct it. Rather he stood listening to the familiar, faint dialogue between snare drum and flute. It wasn’t until well past the halfway mark that he released his folded hands to direct his players.

The final work was Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 5 in E Minor, which gave the AWO an opportunity to show just what it could do with the variety of colours on offer. Like Bolero, Tchaikovsky’s fifth is a veteran of orchestral concerts, but played by the AWO, under Briger’s masterful conducting, it sounded almost like a new piece.

– Fraser Beath McEwing | J-Wire | 29th September, 2016

CD recording | Beethoven: Symphony No.9 | Australian World Orchestra (Deutsche Grammophon), September 2013

This recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 is magical, flawlessly smooth, electrifyingly intense and engaging. The final movement of the symphony is certainly the high point of the piece, played with heart and soul and is absolutely breath-taking…nothing short of perfect.

– Alyce Rosentreter | The au.review.com | 23 September, 2013

Australian World Orchestra | Brahms: Academic Festival Overture | Beethoven: Symphony No.9 | August 2011

The inaugural season of the Australian World Orchestra was the fulfillment of Briger’s dream. He promised incredible sound and exhilarating performances, and delivered on both. The strings, in particular, were extraordinary, with intensity and tonal variety rivalling the best I’ve heard. The brass also impressed with their powerful and resplendently polished sound. A fresh, bright‐toned account of Brahms’s Academic Festival Overture balanced buoyant energy with affectionate warmth. Even finer was the taut, muscular performance of Beethoven’s mighty ninth symphony. Swift speeds, alert rhythms, incisive attack and lean timbres realised the music’s irresistible momentum and drama. Briger deserves our admiration and gratitude for bringing together the AWO. Long may it flourish.

– Murray Black | The Australian | 29 August, 2011

Komische Oper Orchestra, Berlin | Sibelius: Symphony No.2 | March 2009

Alexander Briger possesses the ability to communicate complicated works by structuring them clearly. Many recordings of this symphony can often disintegrate into uniformity and therefore become boring. Alexander Briger shows that it can be different. He lays worth in absolute clarity and speaking gestures. In so doing he has much to say. Briger is the ideal guide through this huge, jagged musical mass. He lights up the score, gives the music time to unfold and develops thrilling build-ups from one climax to the next. One was astonished at how disciplined and uniformly rich in colours the orchestra was. This symphony was a total success for Alexander Briger. I can only recommend this opera house to re-invite him.

– Andreas Goebel | Kulturradio | 14 March, 2009

West Australian Symphony Orchestra | Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.5 | June 2008

Briger is a musician of the highest order. His direction of Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony revealed him as a musician of substance. Conducting from memory and clearly au fait with every nuance of the score, he extracted a stunningly fine response from the orchestra.

– Neville Cohn | The West Australian | 24 June, 2008

Philharmonia, London | Mahler: Symphony No.4 | March 2008

In Mahler’s 4th Symphony Briger demonstrated a fine knowledge of the score in a multitude of well-observed orchestrational touches. Climaxes, in particular, were finely balanced across the orchestra, not just indiscriminately loud. The orchestra played magnificently in the long slow movement, with stratospheric violins showing no sense of strain. Briger’s awareness of the interplay of lines led to a gripping exegesis of the musical argument.

– Colin Clarke | Seen and Heard | 1 April, 2008

Sculpting a well-planned assault on Mahler’s 4th Symphony, Alexander Briger’s beatific glances exuded enthusiasm for the task. This was a conductor whose arms as well as his eyes were getting a good workout, as he pumped out ever more passion from the string cellos of the Philharmonia. The results? Big-hearted music-making, centred around the orchestra’s never-so-silky strings and long-breathed woodwind sighs. The scherzo in particular was inflected with careful detail, yet so creamily Viennese.

– Neil Fisher | The Times | 1 April, 2008

Camerata Salzburg | Beethoven: Symphony No.5 | April 2007

The public was fascinated by Alexander Briger and by his musicianship. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony was interpreted with most subtle details: musical and displaying great skill, it was fresh and new-sounding. Alexander Briger motivated the musicians with highly rousing conducting gestures to give their very best performance.

– Horst Reischenböck | Dreh Punkt Kultur Salzburg | 29 April, 2007

Mostly Mozart Festival | Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields | July 2005

The concert’s absolute success was the Jupiter Symphony, which Briger conducted impressively, boldly confronting the disturbing sections that periodically wrench the harmonic structure out of kilter, and leading the orchestra through the contrapuntal complexities of the Finale.

– George Hall | The Guardian | 21 July, 2005

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra | Shostakovich: Symphony No.5 | January 2002

A scintillating account of Shostakovich’s great Symphony No.5, conducted from memory with a winning combination of control and passion, and played in electrifying style in both the exhilarating full ensemble episodes and the many exposed solo passages. It won loudly-expressed acclaim.

– Kenny Mathieson | The Herald | 14 January, 2002

Australian conductor Alexander Briger’s biggest achievement was undoubtedly an account of Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony that dug deep into the symphony’s complex contradictions and ironic twists. Where some would adopt shock/horror tactics, Briger introduced moments of sensual warmth as a foil to the symphony’s predominant anger and hollow victory.

– Kenneth Walton | The Scotsman | 14 January, 2002

Opera

Opera de Toulon – Mozart: The Magic Flute – December 2017

The magic baton of conductor Alexander Briger. The musical direction is beautifully provided by the conductor. He is “Jupiterian”, a man of the Mozartian Singspiel, conceiving a subtle network of timbres.

– Florence Lethurgez | Olyrix.com

This new production of “The Magic Flute” has the advantage of being conducted by Alexander Briger. His musical direction is a real satisfaction – the music is full of contrasts and spring and the conductor brings out all the details of the score and its instrumentation.

– Irma Foletti | Anaclase.com

Alexander Briger’s reading of the score is of great interest. Adopting quick tempi, he manages to create the necessary dramatic tension, serving the rhythm of both the singers and the stage.

– Emmanuel Andrieu | Opera Online

The musical aspect of this production is seductive, starting with the supple and flexible direction of conductor Alexander Briger, who has an irresistible Mozartian swing, but is also attentive to the cohesion of the Toulon Orchestra, which we rarely hear as good.

– Olivier Rouvière | L’Avant-Scène Opéra

With the baton, Alexander Briger illuminates all the moods and all the facets of Mozart’s genius.

– Roland Yvanez | Journalventilo.com

From the opening, conductor Alexander Briger imposes a great solemnity: the fugal entrances very clear and smooth, creating dreamy magic. Under his baton, the opera is enchanting. He alternates very stimulating tempi and moments of deep delicacy, on the border of absolute silence, perfectly serving the drama of the score.

– Benito Pelegrin | RMTnews International

Opera de Toulon – Janáček: Káťa Kabanová – January 2015

The direction of Alexander Briger is remarkable. One can hear the teachings of Pierre Boulez in this reading of admirable clarity, making it intelligible to the dramatic structure of the composition, with a tension that never relaxes.

– Gilles Charlassier | Concertonet.com

A salute to the performance of Alexander Briger at the head of the Symphony Orchestra of the Toulon Opera, which got blistering sounds.

– Jaqueline Cnobloch | In Concerto

Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris – Adams: I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky – June 2013

A dazzling resurrection, conducted by Alexander Briger-a deserved triumph.

– Eric Dahan | Liberation

Théâtre du Châtelet – Paris – Adams: Nixon in China – April 2012

The success of the show is enormously down to the tremendous leadership of Alexander Briger at the head of the excellent Chamber Orchestra of Paris. The direction of the Australian conductor is extremely dynamic, highlighting the edges of the music (much more complex than it seems), the jazzy rhythms and references to romantic music.

– Pierre-Emmanuel Lephay | Forumopera | 17 April 2012

On the podium, Alexander Briger realized a remarkable job with the musicians of the Chamber Orchestra of Paris. They were in fine form, with precision, colour and changes in atmosphere. The evening finished leaving the listener in the grip of a show which was remarkably successful.

– Alain Cochard | Concertclassic | 15 April 2012

In the pit, Alexander Briger disciplined the Chamber Orchestra of Paris. Briger manages to extol the richness of the orchestration, reminiscent of Wagner and Strauss.

– Emmanuel Dupuy | Diapason Magazine | 11 April 2012

The main attraction of the evening was the orchestra. Rarely has one heard the Chamber Orchestra of Paris as galvanized. Conductor Alexander Briger firmly holds his troops and brings out the brilliant orchestration of John Adams.

– Maxime Kaprielian | Resmusica | 14 April 2012

Opera Australia – Britten: A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Sydney Opera House – February 2010

Conductor Alexander Briger does a fine job of both delineating and interlacing the varied textures, drawing out coherent, atmospheric playing.

– Opera Critic | 26 February 2010

Alexander Briger directed a gauzy, shimmering account of this magical score.

– Opera Magazine | June 2010

Canadian Opera Company – Janáček: From the House of the Dead – February 2008

Conductor Alexander Briger and the COC orchestra are simply superb.

– Paula Citron | The New Classical 96.3 FM | 4 February 2008

 

 

The COC Orchestra, led by Australian conductor Alexander Briger, is the star of the show, masterfully guided through time-shifting minefields by Briger’s assured baton.

– John Terrauds | Toronto Star | 4 February 2008

 

 

Brilliantly conducted by Janáček specialist, Alexander Briger

– Wayne Gooding | Opera Now | July-August 2008

English National Opera – Janáček: The Makropulos Case
June 2006

Alexander Briger conducted a big-boned, lushy romantic account of the score, wonderfully played.

– Rodney Milnes | Opera Magazine | August 2006

English National Opera – Verdi: Rigoletto – February 2006

This is one of ENO’s strongest revivals of recent times, with a superb Verdian conductor in Alexander Briger and the orchestra in better form than they have been for ages.

– Dominic McHugh | musicOMH.com | February 200

 

 

Debuting with the company was the conductor Alexander Briger, who seems to be making a positive impression everywhere he goes. The nightmarish prelude reached a hair-raising climax, and everything that followed flowed with a natural sense of rhythm allied to dramatic dynamism.

– George Hall | Opera Magazine | April 2006

Royal Opera House – Covent Garden – Britten: The Rape of Lucretia
April-May 2004

Briger’s handling of the score and both players and singers was masterly, perfectly paced and probably the principal cause of the almost palpable and near unbearable tension generated.

– Opera Opera | June 2004

Alexander Briger conducted with a compelling sense of urgency: the tension and weight in the Good Night chorus at the end of Act 1, was almost unbearable…this was one of those charmed evenings, when performers’ artistry and composer’s vision achieve almost nuclear fission. Unforgettable.

– Peter Reed | The Sunday Telegraph | 9 May 2004

RECORDINGS

Beethoven: Symphony No.9

Beethoven: Symphony No.9

Deutsche Gramophone

​AWO | Alexander Briger

This recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 is magical, flawlessly smooth, electrifyingly intense and engaging. The final movement of the symphony is certainly the high point of the piece, played with heart and soul and is absolutely breath-taking… nothing short of perfect.

Alyce Rosentreter | theAUreview
Elgar & Myaskovsky Cello Concertos  major, K488

Elgar & Myaskovsky Cello Concertos major, K488

Signum Classics

Jamie Walton-Cello | Philharmonia Orchestra | Alexander Briger

This is probably the best performance of the Elgar Cello Concerto that I have heard. Walton cannot be beaten. I shall treasure this recording – literally: I shall hoard it against a musically rainy day.

Paul Adrian Rooke | The Elgar Society Journal
Walton Cello Concerto – Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1

Walton Cello Concerto – Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1

Signum Classics

Jamie Walton | Alexander Briger | The Philharmonia Orchestra

Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 2, Britten Cellos Symphony

Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 2, Britten Cellos Symphony

Signum Classics

Jamie Walton | Alexander Briger | The Philharmonia Orchestra

Saint Saëns Cello Works

Saint Saëns Cello Works

Quartz

Alexander Briger, Jamie Walton and Philharmonia

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K488

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K488

ABC Classics

Simon Tedeschi | Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra

21st Century Cello Concertos

21st Century Cello Concertos

Harmonia Mundi

Schoeller: The eyes of the wind [cello concerto] – Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Alexander Briger

Nathan: “Don John of Austria”

Nathan: “Don John of Austria”

ABC Classics

Alexander Briger | Sydney Symphony Orchestra

ARTICLES

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra calls up an Aussie maestro

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra calls up an Aussie maestro

Limelight magazine

Inaugural manoeuvres of two new orchestras

Inaugural manoeuvres of two new orchestras

The Australian

Death, joy and ‘a whole symphony of life’: why Mahler 9 is bringing Australia’s best performers together from around the world

Death, joy and ‘a whole symphony of life’: why Mahler 9 is bringing Australia’s best performers together from around the world

The Australian