Sarasota Orchestra Announces Giancarlo Guerrero as its Seventh Music Director

Guerrero Will Serve as Music Director Designate in the Upcoming Season and His Tenure Will Officially Begin with the 2025-2026 Season

SARASOTA, Fla. (August 22, 2024) – Sarasota Orchestra has appointed six-time GRAMMY® Award-winning conductor Giancarlo Guerrero as its seventh music director. Guerrero will serve as the Sarasota Orchestra’s music director designate in the upcoming 2024-2025 season before transitioning fully into the role of music director in fall 2025.

Guerrero’s first performances as music director designate for the Orchestra will be during Masterworks 1, Nov. 8-10, 2024, conducting a program of music by Tchaikovsky, Respighi and American composers, Adolphus Hailstork and Jennifer Higdon. He replaces the previously announced guest conductor Rune Bergmann, who graciously turned over the week to Guerrero to allow his work with the Orchestra to commence as soon as possible. Guerrero will also return to conduct Masterworks 4, Jan. 30-Feb. 2, 2025, with music of Shostakovich and Arturo Márquez, as previously announced.

During the 2024-2025 season, Guerrero will also serve in his 16th and final year as music director of the Nashville Symphony, where he will transition to the role of music director emeritus beginning with the 2025-2026 season. He will hold the two positions concurrently and continue to guest conduct internationally.

Praised for his “viscerally powerful performances” (Boston Globe) and described as “at once vigorous, passionate, and nuanced” (BachTrack), Guerrero is one of the most well-respected orchestra conductors in the world. This opportunity with Sarasota Orchestra presents an exciting new chapter in his career as the organization advances its planning for a Music Center that will elevate the region to new artistic prominence, bringing the Gulf Coast its first concert hall engineered and purpose-built for orchestral and acoustic music.

“Giancarlo’s exceptional talent and esteemed reputation will significantly enhance our Orchestra’s standing among the world’s most prestigious ensembles,” said Joseph McKenna, President & CEO of Sarasota Orchestra. “His visionary leadership, coupled with a fervent commitment to community advocacy, will be critical in further establishing Sarasota as a thriving center for classical music excellence. Giancarlo will also guide our organization into an exciting future as the visionary leader for our Music Center.”

“I am pleased to become Sarasota Orchestra’s next music director,” said Guerrero. “From my first rehearsal with them last winter, I was instantly impressed with this orchestra, filled with terrific musicians who take tremendous pride in their orchestra. It was clear that everyone was prepared and ready to play, displaying a palpable joy in music-making. In my conversations with members of the organization, from board to musicians to staff, I sensed a great degree of pride in the future of the institution and a desire to achieve the highest possible artistic ground. Being asked to be music director at this important and historic moment of the orchestra is a tremendous honor. I am excited to be a part of this planning during this forward-looking time, and to add my artistic voice to the process, doing what I can to ensure a vibrant future for the orchestra and the Sarasota-Manatee community.”

“In the search committee’s work to identify our next music director, it was clear to us that Giancarlo’s time with the Nashville Symphony has been extraordinary,” said Daniel Jordan, Sarasota Orchestra concertmaster and search committee member. “When committee members visited Giancarlo and saw his performances, it was obvious he has the special ‘it’ factor that allows him to truly connect with audiences. Our Sarasota community then got to experience that firsthand this past season during his exhilarating Masterworks week. I could not be more thrilled!”

Sarasota Orchestra’s board of directors voted unanimously to advance Guerrero as the organization’s artistic leader upon recommendation by a search committee chaired by Mark Pritchett, former CEO of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and comprised of Orchestra musicians, board and staff members. Over the course of two seasons, the committee conducted a comprehensive assessment process, carefully considering feedback from key stakeholders. Music director candidates were evaluated for their programming vision, their ability to deliver a spectacular performance, and their interaction and potential affinity with the audience and community through pre-concert lectures and related events for students and patrons.

“As we continue advancing our plans for a Music Center, it was important for us to select a music director whose artistic vision will elevate us both now and into the future,” said Board Chair Tom Koski. “Giancarlo possesses the ideal combination of leadership experience and enthusiasm for sharing great music with exquisite passion.”

Guerrero’s initial contract with the Orchestra is for a six-year period that includes the designate season. He will be the seventh music director in the Orchestra’s history, succeeding Bramwell Tovey, who passed away in 2022. Previous music directors include Anu Tali (2013-19), Leif Bjaland (1997-2012), and Paul Wolfe (1961-1996).

A Career of Transformative Music-Making

In the 2024-2025 season, Guerrero will serve in his 16th and final year as music director of the Nashville Symphony, where he has been beloved for his ability to reach and inspire a wide range of audiences.

During his tenure, Guerrero collaborated with the Nashville Symphony to premiere over two dozen new works and release 21 commercial albums, taking advantage of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center’s outstanding acoustics. These definitive recordings garnered 13 GRAMMY® nominations and six GRAMMY® wins, cementing Guerrero and the Symphony’s international reputation as standard-bearers for recordings of contemporary American music. As part of his commitment to fostering the work of contemporary composers, Guerrero, together with composer Aaron Jay Kernis, also guided the creation of Nashville Symphony’s biannual Composer Lab & Workshop for young and emerging composers.

Throughout his career, Guerrero has collaborated with top ensembles in North America, including the Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and Philadelphia Orchestra, among others. Internationally, he has maintained longstanding relationships with esteemed orchestras in Europe, Latin America and Australia/New Zealand. In recognition of his accomplishments, Guerrero was honored as the keynote speaker at the 2019 League of American Orchestras conference. Guerrero also recently completed a six-season tenure as music director of the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic in Poland. His previous posts include time as principal guest conductor of both the Cleveland Orchestra Miami Residency and the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon, music director of the Eugene Symphony and associate conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra.

Given his beginnings in civic youth orchestras, Guerrero has remained engaged with training orchestras and has worked with Juilliard, the Curtis Institute of Music, Colburn School in Los Angeles, National Youth Orchestra (NYO2) and Yale Philharmonia.

Tickets for Guerrero’s first Sarasota Orchestra performances are available now through the Masterworks season subscription. Flex Passes are also available for purchase, allowing audiences to create their own subscriptions.

Sarasota Orchestra patrons and supporters will have additional opportunities to meet Guerrero at the Orchestra’s dinner series and its annual brunch event in November, which celebrates the Sarasota Youth Orchestras’ 65th anniversary.