Episode 75 Giancarlo Guerrero

I thoroughly enjoyed a lively conversation with Giancarlo Guerrero, the six-time Grammy Award-winning conductor and music director of the Nashville Symphony and the NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic. Born in Nicaragua, he immigrated to Costa Rica with his family when he was a child. He joined the local youth symphony as a percussionist and recalls how a mere hobby sparked a lifelong passion.
He went on to study percussion and conducting at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, graduating in 1991, and then earned his master’s degree in conducting at Northwestern University. “I came from the back of the orchestra with two sticks to the front with one,” he quipped.
We discussed his early career as a percussionist and conductor in Venezuela, and his first American position as Associate Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, which he treasured. As his career evolved, he was able to share his deep passion for Latin American repertoire, including the work of composers such

as Heitor Villa-Lobos, Alberto Ginastera and Carlos Chávez, which he has championed through recordings and programming. Now he considers Nashville his home—enjoying being a part of one of the world’s most exciting cities — where he’s served as music director of the Nashville Symphony for 14 years. He speaks with pride about championing American music, often promoting the work of contemporary composers, including Aaron Jay Kernis, Christopher Rouse and Michael Daugherty. He wants to connect with his audience, giving pre-concert lectures and challenging listening skills.
His energy seems boundless as our conversation turned to various projects with his other orchestra in Wroclaw, Poland, as well as guest conducting in São Paola, Brazil, and throughout the United States and the world.