Meet Alondra 
Conductor Alondra de la Parra has gained wide attention for her spellbinding and vibrant performances whether leading the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, or orchestras in Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, and the United States, making her one of the most compelling conductors of her generation. She holds the distinction of being the first woman from Mexico to conduct in New York City.
Most recently, The New York Times said, “With incisive gestures, Ms. de la Parra elicited a vibrantly nuanced performance whose bristling conclusion had the audience … on their feet.” The Dallas Morning News stated, “Her gestures were precise and strategic, and she clearly feels and expresses the music’s tensions and releases. She shapes phrases and builds one toward the next. These are qualities all too rare on today’s podiums.” And, Henry Fogel, CEO of the League of American Orchestras commented, “She leads her musicians with a wonderful combination of technique and emotional involvement and expressivity.”
Ms. de la Parra’s recent highlights include concerts with the Russian National Orchestra collaborating with Joshua Bell and Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway; conducting Venezuela’s Simón Bolivar Youth Orchestra as well as being awarded that orchestra’s highest honor given to a musician; and was recognized by Symphony magazine as one of six “Young Artists on the Rise.”
Among orchestras that Alondra de la Parra has conducted to critical acclaim in addition to the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, include the Russian National Orchestra, Venezuela’s Simón Bolivar Youth Orchestra, Mexico’s Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, the Buenos Aires Philharmonic, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Aguascalentes, Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco, Uruguay’s Montevideo Philharmonic, and the New York Pops Orchestra.
In 2004 at the age of 23, Ms. de la Parra founded the New York-based Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (POA), comprised of young professional musicians, with the mission to promote the work of young soloists and composers of the American continent. Since its founding, POA has performed at Lincoln Center, undertook an international tour beginning in New York City with concerts in Dallas, Mexico City and The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC; performed for Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón as well as First Lady Laura Bush; produced recordings; and fulfilling Ms. de la Parra’s vision has initiated a Young Composers’ Competition as well as establishing an Arts and Education Program. In July 2008, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas will embark on its first tour to Canada, collaborating with the L’Orchestre de la Francophonie Canadienne.
A big champion of new music, Ms. de la Parra has presented more than twenty world premieres by composers including Enrico Chapela, Paul Brantley, Paul Desenne, and Eugenio Toussaint, to name a few.
Alondra de la Parra was named the winner of the New York Post 1010 Wins “Tomorrow’s Newsmakers” Arts & Entertainment Award, and was the 2007 “Rising Star’ of the New York Woman’s Agenda. She was recognized by the League of America Orchestras as a recipient of the Women’s Conducting Grant, and has been a featured guest on WNYC’s Portrait for The New Americans. Ms. de la Parra wasa subject in both Men’s Vogue and Latin Vogue. She was twice selected as one of seven participants in conducting seminars led by Kurt Masur. Maestro Masur remarked, “She is a highly knowledgeable conductor who carries the will and intentions of the composers with great responsibility.”
In 2000, Ms. de la Parra moved to New York City to study piano and conducting. She received her bachelor of music degree in piano performance from Manhattan School of Music where she was a student of Jeffrey Cohen, as well as her master of music degree in conducting. Among her many awards at Manhattan School of Music was recipient of the Gabe Wiener Merit Fellowship. For the past seven years she has studied conducting with her mentor, Kenneth Kiesler. Ms. de la Parra has also been coached by Marin Alsop, Charles Dutoit, and Sir Simon Rattle.
Alondra de la Parra lives in New York City. She is represented worldwide by Tanja Dorn at IMG Artists.
ALONDRA’s SCHEDULE
2008 September 7: Houston Symphony Orchestra
Houston, Texas, Jones Hall
George Gershwin, Cuban Overture
Astor Piazolla (Zhurbin), Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas (Mvmt II and IV)
Alberto Ginastera, Danzas del Ballet Estancia (Mvmt I-IV)
Silvestre Revueltas, La Noche de los Mayas (I-IV)
José Pablo Moncayo, Huapango
2008 October 18: Singapore Sun Festival, Kiri Te Kanawa
Singapore, Esplanade Concert Hall
Arturo Márquez, Danzón No. 2
Sergei Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf (narrated by Robert Redford)
2nd half conducted by Julian Reynolds
2008 October 24 & 25: San Antonio Symphony
San Antonio, Majestic Theatre
Arturo Márquez, Danzón No. 2
Osvaldo Golijov, Three Songs for Soprano and Orchestra
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5
2008 November 7-20: POA Tour
New York, Mexico, various cities and theatres
2008 November 12: POA performs in Gloria Estefan Tribute at the Latin Grammys
2009 January 17: New World Symphony
Miami Beach, Florida, Lincoln Theatre
Aaron Copland, Danzón Cubano
Astor Piazzolla, Tangazo
Arturo Márquez, Danzón No. 2
2009 March 5: POA Women in Music Concert
New York, New York, Town Hall
Program TBA
2009 March 8: Russian National Orchestra
Boca Raton, Florida, Count de Hoernle Amphitheater
Program: TBA
2009 March 20: Edmonton Symphony
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Francis Winspear Centre
Program: TBA
2009 March 29-April 10: Auditing rehearsals of Berlin Philharmonic
Program: Wagner’s Siegfried
2009 April 23-26: Cover conductor: Los Angeles Philharmonic, Joshua Bell
Downtown Los Angeles, California, Walt Disney Concert Hall
Maurice Ravel: Alborado del gracioso
Édouard Lalo: Symphonie espagnole
2009 April 30, May 1, 3: Cover conductor: LA Philharmonic
Downtown Los Angeles, California, Walt Disney Concert Hall
Program:TBA
2009 May 14: POA Annual Gala
Location: New York, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall
Program: TBA
2009 June 1-7: POA Tour of Panama
2009 August: POA Tour of Vermont
2010 April 23-5: Kitchner Waterloo Symphony
2010 May 4: Colorado Symphony
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