Richard Tognetti studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where he was awarded the Tschumi prize in 1989. In that same year he took up the position of Artistic Director and Leader of the Australian Chamber Orchestra. He has developed a keen sensibility for performing music on period, modern and electric instruments, and has performed with a wide range of musicians covering many genres. His arrangements of works by Janácek, Szymanowski, Paganini, Beethoven, Ravel and Satie among others have served to expand the chamber orchestra repertoire. In addition to Tognetti’s busy schedule at home and overseas with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, solo and chamber music activities have included a performance of Mendelssohn’s Octet at the Salzburg Festival, Brahms’ Double Concerto with Pieter Wispelwey and conductor Frans Brueggen, and the Australian premiere of Ligeti’s Violin Concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Performances in the 2001 Sydney Festival of Mozart’s Mitridate, rè di Ponto marked Mr. Tognetti’s debut as an opera conductor. He has recording extensively, including Beethoven's Violin Concerto, at classical pitch, on ABC Classics. The Australian Chamber Orchestra's ground-breaking collaboration with rock singer Peter Garrett and cartoonist/philosopher Michael Leunig resulted in the best-selling release of a recording of The Carnival of the Animals accompanying a book of Leunig’s text and illustrations. Amidst his ever more varied activities have been an appearance at the Opening Ceremony of the Rugby World Cup 2003 with James Crabb, and work on Peter Weir’s 2003 film Master and Commander – as composer, soundtrack soloist and violin tutor to Russell Crowe. Mr. Tognetti, who was made a National Living treasure in 1999 in Australia, makes his Handel and Haydn Society debut in these concerts.

Richard Tognetti appears on the "Beethoven's Fifth" program, January 13 and 15, 2006.

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