Giancarlo Guerrero to conduct “WINTER ENCHANTMENTS” Program with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Contact:  Chris Pinelo                                November 17, 2008
513-744-3338

CINCINNATI—The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra announced today that Costa Rican conductor Giancarlo Guerrero would step in for guest conductor Xian Zhang for its December 18 and 20 concerts at Music Hall. 

When describing Maestro Guerrero, The Nashville Scene writes, “No doubt this conductor has the goods – the ear, intellect and musicianship.” He leads the CSO in a program dubbed “Winter Enchantments” that includes works by Respighi, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Stravinsky and Prokofiev, and features the CSO’s own Gabriel Pegis as the solo violinist.  Ms. Zhang was looking forward to conducting in Cincinnati again, but is pregnant and decided the concerts fell too close to her due date.  
Mr. Guerrero was recently appointed Music Director of the Nashville Symphony. He began his duties in Nashville in the 2008/09 season as Music Director Designate while concurrently finishing his seven-year tenure as Music Director of Oregon's Eugene Symphony. A champion of new music,

Mr. Guerrero initiated a guest-composer series in Eugene, where under his leadership the ensemble hosted several of America's most respected composers, including John Adams, John Corigliano, Jennifer Higdon, Aaron Jay Kernis, Michael Daugherty, and Roberto Sierra. Previously, he served as Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, with which he returned on subscription every season during his tenure.

As a guest conductor, Mr. Guerrero recently made two important debuts abroad: his European debut with the Gulbenkian Orchestra, where he was immediately invited to return, and his UK Debut with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He has also recently made successful debuts with several major American orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra (where he was invited back for a subscription week and tour including the orchestra's residency in Miami), the Seattle Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra (where he returned in the 07-08 season). Other recent orchestral engagements in North America include appearances with the orchestras of Columbus, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Minnesota, Oregon, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Winnipeg, National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., and at the Grant Park Festival.

During the 2008-09 season, Mr. Guerrero's guest conducting engagements include appearances with the Kansas City Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Toronto Symphony, and the Gulbenkian Orchestra.
Also in demand in both Central and South America, Mr. Guerrero conducts regularly in Venezuela with the Orquesta Sinfonica Simon Bolivar, with which he has had a special relationship for many years.  His debut at the Casals Festival with Yo-Yo Ma and the Puerto Rico Symphony in 2005 was followed by return engagements in 2006 and 2007.  He also made his debut at the Teatro Colon in Argentina in 2005.

Equally at home with opera, Mr. Guerrero works regularly with the Costa Rican Lyric Opera and in recent seasons has conducted new productions of Carmen, La Bohème and most recently a new production of Rigoletto. In the 2007-08 season, he led the Australian premiere of Osvaldo Golijov's chamber opera "Ainadamar" at the Adelaide Festival.

In June 2004, Mr. Guerrero was awarded the Helen M. Thompson Award by the American Symphony Orchestra League, which recognizes outstanding achievement among young conductors nationwide.  
Mr. Guerrero holds degrees from Baylor and Northwestern Universities.  His principal conducting teachers were Michael Haithcock, Stephen Heyde, Victor Yampolsky and Guillermo Scarabino. Prior to his tenure with the Minnesota Orchestra, he served as music director of the Tachira Symphony Orchestra in Venezuela.

For tickets and information, call (513) 381-3300 or visit www.cincinnatisymphony.org.