Alto

Andrey Nemzer

In the choir since 2018

Biography
Interview

Ever since the start of his career, Andrey Nemzer became recognized for the unique power, flexibility and range of his countertenor. In 2012, he won the Metropolitan Opera Singing Competition. In 2014, he got the 3rd place at Placido Domingo’s Operalia competition. Born in Moscow, Andrey Nemzer studied at Sveshnikov Choir College and toured as a soloist with the boys’ choir conducted by Victor Popov.

He has performed with various Russian vocal and instrumental troupes including The Pocket Symphony conducted by Nazar Kozhukhar, Ekaterina Antonenko’s Intrada vocal ensemble and Galina Koltsova’s Blagovest sacred music ensemble. He also was the leading soloist at the Mendelssohn Choir (Pittsburgh, USA) and has recently completed his postgraduate studies at Duquesne University. Since 2018, Andrey Nemzer has been part of the musicAeterna choir.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE WORLD OF MUSIC?

My mother was the reason. When I was 4, she made me take piano lessons. At the age of 6, I entered Sveshnikov Choir College. Three years later, I performed on the stage of the Moscow Conservatory for the first time. We sang “The All-Night Vigil” by Georgiy Dmitriev. That was how my music life started.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE SO FAR?

Perhaps the most unusual place I have ever performed at is a plane pilot’s cockpit. I was going home from a tour together with the male choir of the Choir Art Academy. It was a charter flight and the pilots invited us into the cockpit. We sang a few songs for them. I loved it — it was a great experience!

HOW DO YOU CHANGE WHEN YOU GO UP ON STAGE?

When on stage, you have a peculiar feeling: not anxiety but rather a kind of ardor. You have to prove your command of your voice, and you need to make sure the audience gets whatever message your music carries. This ardor in anticipation of the concert is something very special. And of course, the satisfaction you feel after the performance when the audience applauds and cheers — it is something worth living for.

DO YOU HAVE A DREAM?

I do. I want to arrange some sort of a jazz concert. Jazz is my secret passion. I love Ella Fitzgerald, Laura Fygi, Mike Patton. I would like to try my hand at something like that. I also have an idea of giving some opera arias a jazz treatment — but I am super busy, so there has been no chance yet.

HOW DO YOU RECOVER AFTER LARGE PROJECTS?

Quite frankly, I want to do nothing at all and just to stay at home. After performances, I go to the dressing room, avoid any interaction with others and just try to relax. I really do not like post-concert parties, so I rarely attend them. After the concert, you are exhausted both mentally and physically. You have given away a ton of energy which takes time to replenish.

WHAT DOES MUSICAETERNA MEAN TO YOU?

It means love towards music and towards each other. Love on a molecular level. MusicAeterna is not just a troupe where every performer might have their own vision of music; instead, it is one single entity.