Along with pianist Martha Argerich, Antonio Lysy’s father the violinist Alberto Lysy remains one of South America’s most celebrated classical concert musicians.  Born In Buenos Aires, Alberto Lysy became the first South American artist to win a prize at the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition. At the Brussels Competition, he met one of the jurors, Yehudi Menuhin and asked him to take him as a student. Alberto became Menuhin’s only personal pupil. Lysy pursued three careers, one as a concert violinist, another as a conductor, and a third as a teacher.  Lysy premiered Malcolm Arnold’s Concerto for Two Violins and recorded Bach’s Double Concerto.

Lysy’s relationship with Menuhin enabled Alberto to later honor his mentor by co-founding the International Menuhin Music Academy in Gstaad Switzerland in 1977.  Lysy directed the Academy for three decades until a few years before his death. 

Of particular interest for Yarlung fans, Alberto Lysy Coached the Duo for Violin and Cello with Kodály personally before performing it for the first time in Fiesole outside of Florence with Gaspar Cassadó in 1958.  Lysys first mainstage concert of the Duo was with Jacqueline du Pré at the Sermoneta Pontino Festival south of Rome in 1963.   Later, Alberto and his son Antonio Lysy  became major performers of the work and captured their collaboration on South America.

Alberto established Camerata Bariloche, in 1967 and Camerata Lysy in 1971. He recorded numerous albums with these ensembles for EMI. Alberto also established the Lysy Festival in Argentina and the Festival Festival Delle Nazioni in Città di Castello. He received the Stradivari International Pedagogical Prize in 2006, and retired as Director of the Menuhin Music Academy in 2007.

South America

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