Isaac Karabtchevsky

Origin

São Paulo, SP

Years active

1956

Genres

classical music, opera

Instruments

conducting

Biography

Isaac Karabtchevsky is a renowned Brazilian conductor of Russian descent, born in São Paulo on December 27, 1934. His musical journey began in Belo Horizonte, where he founded the Madrigal Renascentista in 1956 alongside Carlos Eduardo Prates and Carlos Alberto Pinto Fonseca, serving as its first conductor. Throughout a career spanning decades, he has established himself as a central figure in orchestral conducting both in Brazil and abroad, leading prestigious institutions such as the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, the Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra, and the Petrobras Symphony Orchestra.

On the international stage, the maestro expanded his work to globally significant venues, having served as artistic director of Teatro La Fenice in Venice, the Tonkünstler Orchestra in Vienna, and the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire. His expressive European career has earned him important honors, such as the "Grand Merit for Culture" commendation awarded by the Austrian government. Among his most prominent recordings is the monumental complete recording of the eleven symphonies of Heitor Villa-Lobos at the helm of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra for the Naxos label, an award-winning project acclaimed by international critics.

In addition to his intense artistic activity in concert halls and opera houses around the world, Karabtchevsky is also dedicated to social inclusion and music education projects. He currently serves as the artistic director of the Baccarelli Institute, an initiative located in the Heliópolis Community in São Paulo, which serves thousands of youths through orchestral practice. His contribution to Brazilian culture has been celebrated in various ways, including a tribute in the Rio de Janeiro carnival by the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school and the decoration with the Order of Ipiranga by the State of São Paulo.