Biography
Richard Tognetti, an Australian violinist, conductor, and composer, came into the world in Canberra before spending his formative years in Wollongong under the guidance of William Primrose. He later enrolled at the Conservatorium High School in Sydney to pursue violin studies with Alice Waten. His early achievements included victory in the National Youth Concerto Competition during 1980, after which he continued his training with Igor Ozim at the Bern Conservatory. The year 1989 brought him the Tschumi Prize along with his appointment as artistic director and leader of the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Tognetti has appeared as a soloist alongside performers spanning multiple genres while employing Baroque, modern, and electric violins in his work. He has also created chamber-orchestra transcriptions of works by Beethoven, Paganini, Satie, Janacek, Szymanowski, and Ravel. Among the ensembles he has joined are the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Tapiola Sinfonietta, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg, the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, the Nordic Chamber Orchestra, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Beyond his role with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, he serves as artistic director of the Maribor Festival in Slovenia. In 2010 he received the distinction of Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of his charitable efforts and his impact on Australian music. His recording credits encompass releases on the ABC Classics, BIS, Chandos, and Hyperion labels.
Albums

Tchaikovsky: Serenade and Andante Cantabile / Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony
2025

Kilar: Orawa – Rautavaara: The Fiddlers
2024

Homeward: Bryce Dessner | George Walker | Ruth Crawford Seeger
2023

River (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
2021

ACO Originals – Brett Dean: Electric Preludes
2020

Beethoven
2020

Beethoven & Mozart Violin Sonatas
2019

Haydn – Mozart
2019

Heroines
2018

Enchanted: Live in Concert
2017

Mountain (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
2017

Mozart's Last Symphonies
2016

Haydn: Cello Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 - Beethoven: Romances Nos. 1 & 2
2016

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
2015

Bach - Beethoven - Brahms
2013

Mendelssohn
2013

Pipe Dreams
2012

Dances to a Black Pipe
2011

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 Op. 58, Piano Sonatas Nos. 14 "Moonlight" & 31
2011

Celebrating 20 Years Together
2009

Tognetti - Bach: Sonatas for Violin and Keyboard
2007

Nielsen: Suite / Linde: Concerto Piccolo / Leifs: Variazioni Pastorali / Sibelius: Impromptu
2007

Tognetti – Bach: Violin Concertos
2006

Vivaldi: Flute Concertos
2006

Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 1 - Kodály: Sonata for Cello Solo, Op. 8
2006

Bach: Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin
2005

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (Music from the Motion Picture)
2003

Piazzolla: Music for Classical Accordion and Orchestra
2003

Sculthorpe: Second Sonata, Irkanda I, Irkanda IV, Cello Dreaming, Lament & Djilile
2003

String Quartets for String Orchestra
2002

Beethoven: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 61 - Mozart: Symphony No. 40
1999

Scenes
1998

Il Tramonto (The Sunset)
1996

Spirit: Mendelssohn, Mozart, Ravel, Veress, Shostakovich
1995

Mozart Arias with Obbligato Intruments
1994

Symphony, Serenade and Suites
1993

Janacek: Kreutzer Sonata for Strings / Barber: Adagio for Strings / Walton: Sonata for Strings
1992
Singles

Serenade for String Orchestra in C Major, Op. 48: I. Pezzo in forma di sonatina. Andante non troppo – Allegro moderato
2025

The Fiddlers: III. Klockar Samuel Dikström
2024

Lyric for Strings
2023

ACO Originals - Thomas Adès: Shanty – Over the Sea
2023

Isaac Albéniz: Asturias (Leyenda)
2022

Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98: 2. Andante Moderato
2020

Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90: 1. Allegro Con Brio
2020

Dark with Excessive Bright: Concerto for Contrabass and String Orchestra
2020
Live






