Brazilian Cellist Antonio Meneses has Died, Aged 66

Meneses passed away after battling an aggressive type of brain tumor

Diagnosed in June with glioblastoma multiforme, the acclaimed Brazilian cellist Antonio Meneses was in palliative care before his passing in Basel, Switzerland. 

In July 2024, he announced he was stepping down from performing and his teaching role at Switzerland’s University of Bern. Prior to his diagnosis, he was scheduled to perform with the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Fabio Mechetti later this year. 

Born in Recife and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Meneses began cello studies at age 10 in Europe. He joined the Youth Symphony Orchestra of the Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro at age 11 and three years later, was hired by the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra.

He achieved worldwide recognition when he won the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1982 and the Munich Competition. He also recorded with the Berlin Philharmonic and was a member of the prestigious Beaux Arts Trio from 1998 to 2008. 

Additionally, Meneses performed with the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw; plus, collaborated with conductors such as Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado, and Gerd Albrecht. 

He regularly made appearances at the Pablo Casals, Salzburg, and Vienna music festivals, the Sviatoslav Richter festival in France, as well as the Prague festival in the Czech Republic.

“We regret to inform you that cellist Antonio Meneses died this Saturday, in Basel, Switzerland, at the age of 66,” Meneses’ staff posted on Facebook. “One of the leading musicians of his generation, he was diagnosed in June with Glioblastoma Multiforme, an aggressive type of brain tumor … At the request of the musician himself, there will be no funeral. The family thanks you in advance for the messages of condolences.”

Our condolences to Mr. Meneses’ family, friends, and colleagues.