Juan Matteucci

Juan Matteucci OBE (9 February 1920 – 13 October 1990) was a Chilean and New Zealand conductor who was resident conductor of the NZBC Symphony Orchestra (now the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra) from 1964 to 1969.

Early life and education

Juan Matteucci was born in 1920[1] in Faenza, Italy[2] in the dressing room of an opera house where his father Amilcare Matteucci was playing in the orchestra and his mother was attending a performance.[3] His family moved from Italy to Chile and he gained a Bachelors degree in philosophy, biology and maths before attending medical school for four years all the while studying the cello.[3] He dropped medicine in favour of studying music full time.[3]

Career

At the age of 20 Matteucci became principal cellist with the Symphony Orchestra of Chile, taking over his father's position in the orchestra.[3][4] He began conducting and won a scholarship from the Chilean government to study at the Verdi Conservatorium in Milan.[3][4] Between 1951 and 1964 he was assistant conductor and then conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Chile and a Professor of the History of Art at a university in Chile from 1942 to 1948.[2][3][5] He was appointed the sixth resident conductor of the NZBC Symphony Orchestra in 1964 holding the position until 1969, the first conductor to have a five year contract.[4][3] During his time as conductor he, with the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation's Head of Music, recruited players from Europe, North, South and Central America to increase the size of the orchestra.[4] After previous British or British-trained conductors he brought a fresh approach and innovations to the orchestra such as making its first appearance on television.[4]

In 1969 he became conductor of the Auckland Symphonia (which later became the Auckland Philharmonia); the orchestra's voluntary liquidation in 1980 was attributed partly to Matteucci's "imprudent programming".[6]

In New Zealand he also conducted the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra,[7][2] the New Zealand Ballet and was Musical Director of Auckland Mercury Opera.[8] He conducted orchestras in other countries: Symphony West in Provo, Utah;[3] the Utah Symphony in Salt Lake City for Utah Opera Company productions;[9] the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in Australia;[10][11] the Victoria Symphony Orchestra in Canada;[12] in China and the USSR.[8]

Matteucci acted as New Zealand's Honorary Consul of Chile.[2]

He died in New Zealand on 13 October 1990.[1][13][8]

Honours and awards

Matteucci received an OBE in the 1975 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to music.[14] He was a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy.[2]

Personal life

Matteucci married his wife Connie in 1961 and they had four children.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Matteucci, Juan, 1920–1990". tiaki.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Traue, J.E., ed. (1978). Who's who in New Zealand (11th ed.). A.H & A.W. Reed. ISBN 0589011138. OCLC 48891236.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Winters, Charlene (30 October 1977). "Professional symphony orchestra developed in Utah Valley". Provo Daily Herald. p. 39 – via NewspaperArchive.
  4. ^ a b c d e Tonks, Joy (1996). Bravo: the NZSO at 50. Auckland: Exisle Publishing. pp. 16, 40, 80. ISBN 0-908988-05-2. OCLC 36008771.
  5. ^ Hewitson, D. (1965). "Juan Matteucci: The Man And His Music". Salient. 28 (6): 11 – via NZETC.
  6. ^ Walls, Peter (2014). "Orchestras – Regional orchestras". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  7. ^ Nathan, Simon (27 August 2008). "Orchestra Wars". Scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  8. ^ a b c "Juan Matteucci A Obituary (2015) – The New Zealand Herald". Legacy.com. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  9. ^ "Utah Opera Company to present Verdi's 'Aida'". Logan Herald Journal. 16 December 1979. p. 39 – via NewspaperArchive.
  10. ^ Werder, Felix (29 March 1971). "Matteucci's conducting drew them in". The Age. p. 2. ProQuest 2520763328. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  11. ^ "Prices up for the 1971 ABC series". The Canberra Times. 15 September 1970. p. 15 – via NewspaperArchive.
  12. ^ Smith, Erith (25 July 1974). "Full symphony fare highlights strings". Victoria Daily Colonist. p. 32 – via NewspaperArchive.
  13. ^ "Juan Matteucci". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  14. ^ "Birthday honours list 1975" (PDF). New Zealand Gazette. No. 51. 19 June 1975. p. 1355.

Further reading

  • Juan Matteucci – man of music. (1964). Count Down, 31 Jul 1964; v.1 n.8, 16.
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