Courtesy photo by Andrea Marulanda
Staff report
Columbus, Ind. – July 25, 2023
The Columbus Symphony Orchestra (Indiana, USA), with over a century of tradition and history, and the oldest one in Indiana, has chosen the renowned Colombian “Musical Genius,” Maestro Diego Barbosa-Vásquez, as a finalist for their prestigious global Music Director Search.
During the upcoming 2023-2024 season, Maestro Barbosa-Vásquez will be conducting the Columbus Symphony Orchestra as a guest conductor and Music Director Finalist. His concert is scheduled for October 22nd, 2023.
This opportunity allows both the Maestro and the organization to engage in a deeper exploration of their mutual chemistry and artistic vision. “Being a Music Director is a long-term and very serious commitment from both sides. This 2023-2024 season will allow us (the organization, the community, and myself) to see if our initial chemistry is strong enough to assume their Music Directorship and lead the future of the oldest Symphony Orchestra of the full Indiana State,” said Maestro Barbosa-Vásquez.
Having collaborated with prestigious Performing Arts Organizations such as the Cincinnati Symphony, May Festival, Indianapolis Symphony, Nashville Symphony, and the Indiana University Opera and Ballet Theater and its Symphony Orchestras, among others worldwide, Maestro Barbosa-Vásquez’s reputation as the “Colombian promise of world-class orchestras” is internationally recognized. Likewise, his reputation as “synonymous with energy, knowledge, and confidence in high artistic quality” grows stronger. He is currently the General Director of the Ostrom Opera Camp Laboratory and The Americas Chamber Orchestra at Bloomington, IN, USA. Also, the Colombian Maestro has held Music & Artistic Directorships with the Collaborative Arts Summer Camp and the World Music Symphony Orchestra in Los Angeles, CA, USA; the Pronartes Musical Theater, Huila Philharmonic, and E&P Orchestra and Choir System in Colombia, and served as Principal Guest Conductor of the El Salvador National Youth Symphony Orchestra for six years.
Additionally, Maestro Barbosa-Vásquez is globally acknowledged as a Major Contributor to the Performing Arts field. He holds a Doctor Degree from the prestigious Indiana University in the Opera, Orchestra, and Ballet Conducting Department, graduating with honors, a laureated Doctoral Dissertation, and being a member of the internationally distinguished Ostrom Workshop (Economic Nobel Prize winners and Sustainability and Political Economy experts), showcasing his dedication to high-level multidisciplinary research on the Artistic, Financial, Social, and Ecological dimensions. He is recognized as a leading expert in Performing Arts Sustainability and is frequently invited as a keynote and special speaker at various international conferences. Some notable examples include his participation at the League of American Orchestras Annual Conference as Closing Plenary Panelist (2023 – Pittsburgh, PA, USA), the Indiana University 2020 Conference (Bloomington, IN, USA), and his special guest appearances at the 11th European Orchestra Festival (EOFed) (Norway) in 2018 and the WFAO General Assembly 2019 in Singapore, representing Latin America.
As Maestro Barbosa-Vásquez and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra prepare a repertoire, which will be officially announced soon.
