ALONDRA DE LA PARRA
Conductor

Twenty-four year-old Mexican conductor and pianist, Alondra de la Parra, recently became the first woman from her
country to conduct in New York City. Recently hailed by The New York Sun as a conductor whose “gestures speak louder than words,” Ms. de la Parra began her music studies at an early age in both piano and cello. Aware of early talent, she studied in England and was quickly appointed assistant conductor of the St. Leonard’s Mayfield School Orchestra. Upon her return to Mexico, she continued her studies in Mexico City at the Center of Music Studies (CIEM).

In 2000 Ms. de la Parra moved to New York to study conducting with Vincent la Selva at the Juilliard School, Evening Division. She was recently selected as one of seven participants in the Kurt Masur Conducting Seminar, where The Wall Street Journal described Ms. de la Parra as “elegant, assured and lyrical.” She has also attended the Conductor’s Retreat in Maine, where she studied with Kenneth Kiesler. Master-classes and private study include such prominent conductors as Charles Dutoit and Michael Charry, Marin Alsop and Gustav Meier. Ms. de la Parra is Founder and Artistic Director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, which debuted in New York’s Town Hall in November 2004. She currently holds the position of Principal Guest Conductor of the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra and has held the position of backstage conductor of the New York Grand Opera as part of the complete Verdi Cycle under Maestro La Selva.

A participant in the Michael Tilson Thomas Workshop on the Music of Aaron Copland, held at Carnegie Hall, Ms. De la Parra made her professional orchestra debut with the Buenos Aires Philharmonic at the famed Teatro Colón in June 2004. Ms. De la Parra recently made her Mexico debut with as guest conductor with the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. As a pianist, Ms. de la Parra has performed with the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra and is an active recitalist in both the U.S. and Mexico. She has attended the Mozarteum Sommerakademie in Salzburg with Vassily Lobanov and the Oberlin Piano Festival. Ms. de la Parra has participated in piano master classes with Gyorgy Sandor, David Dubal and Peter Takacs. She was awarded the Presser Scholarship at the Manhattan School of Music, where is completing her degree in piano performance under the direction of Jeffrey Cohen.