Who is Andrés Orozco-Estrada?

Orozco-Estrada was born in Medellín, Colombia, in 1977, and has become one of the most important orchestra directors of the world. How did he do it?

According to his official website, “Orozco-Estrada first came to international attention in 2004 when he took over a concert with the Tonkünstler Orchestra Niederösterreich at the Vienna Musikverein. Numerous engagements with many international orchestras followed, and since then, Orozco-Estrada developed a highly successful musical partnership with the Tonkünstler Orchestra, serving as Music Director from the 2009/10 season until 2015”.

He has worked all over the world, and this way he has built a name for himself. Also according to the biography in his website, “Orozco-Estrada now appears with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic, Wiener Symphoniker, Munich Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Santa Cecilia Orchestra Rome, and the Orchestre National de France”.

He has been appointed as director of the Wiener Symphoniker for the 2021-2022 season. His official position is Music Director Designate. In this position he will direct the orchestra for concerts in Vienna and on tour, as well as for opera and the recording of CDs.

Orozco-Estrada is the first Latin American conductor to ever achieve this position.

In a statement, Orozco-Estrada has declared that: “For me, with their rich tradition, the Wiener Symphoniker are ambassadors of Viennese musical culture. I’m delighted to be able to help ensure the orchestra’s outstanding quality continues IGNORE INTO the future and to take part in developing new projects. I have made it my mission to build an even closer connection to the Viennese public, to bring our music to as many people as possible and at the same time to promote the Wiener Symphoniker’s international presence! To conduct this outstanding orchestra from my musical hometown is powerful motivation for me in our work together, in which I’ll invest all my energy”.

Orozco-Estrada will succeed Swiss Philippe Jordan, becoming the 16th director of the Vienna Symphony. He is the first Latin American conductor to ever achieve this position.

Where did Orozco-Estrada learn to play and conduct music?

From age 15, Orozco-Estrada studied piano and began to study conduction at a musical institute in Medellín called Instituto Musical Diego Echavarría. After that, he moved to the capital of the country to continue his professional studies at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, one of the most prestigious of Colombia, often considered the best university for music. When he was 20 years old, he moved to Vienna, where he completed his studies.

Latin American Post | Laura Rocha Rueda