François López-Ferrer

conductor

Spanish-American conductor François López-Ferrer has carved an impressive path in the world of classical music, distinguished by his dynamic artistry and compelling performances. Recipient of the prestigious 2024 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award, his international career has been marked by recent debuts with esteemed orchestras worldwide, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) at the Hollywood Bowl, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Orquesta Nacional de España, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, Orquesta Sinfónica Radio Televisión Española, Verbier Festival Orchestra, Ensemble intercontemporain, Opéra de Lausanne, and George Enescu Philharmonic.

Upcoming engagements include debuts with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Opéra de Paris conducting a new production of Haydn’s L’isola disabitata, Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid, Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico, and The Orchestra San Antonio, as well as returns to the Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, and the Philharmonisches Orchester Hagen.

His journey began as Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony (CSO) and May Festival, where he made a significant impact on audiences and critics alike. In January 2022, he seamlessly stepped in for Louis Langrée with the CSO for the U.S. premiere of Mark Simpson’s Violin Concerto, featuring Nicola Benedetti. López-Ferrer’s artistry was further refined during his tenure as a 2021/22 Dudamel Fellow with the LA Phil, as well as Resident Conductor of the Opéra de Paris’s Académie. He was a featured conductor in the 2022 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview alongside the Louisiana Philharmonic.

Early career achievements include serving as Associate Conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile and Principal Conductor of the Ballet Nacional Chileno. As a 2018 Verbier Festival Conducting Fellow, he made a memorable debut stepping in for Iván Fischer in a shared program alongside Sir Simon Rattle and Gábor Takács Nagy. Furthermore, he is a two-time recipient of the Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award, winner of the inaugural 2015 Neeme Järvi Prize at the Menuhin Gstaad Festival, and former member of the Deutsche Dirigentenforum.

López-Ferrer holds a Master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne and a Bachelor’s degree in composition from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Born in Switzerland and raised in the United States, he embodies a rich multicultural lineage, with a Cuban mother and Spanish father, and speaks six languages fluently.