From Mexico: conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto

Famous for championing Latin American music, as well as his dedication to new music, Carlos Miguel Prieto has conducted more than 100 world premieres of works by Mexican and American composers, many of which were commissioned by him. He places equal importance on championing works by Black composers such as Florence Price, Margaret Bonds and Courtney Bryan, among others.

In recognition for his advocacy work, as well as his artistic achievements, Musical America named Prieto as the 2019 Conductor of the Year. Born in Mexico City, he has been music director of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México, that nation’s most important orchestra, since 2007. He also holds the music directorship at three other North American orchestras, with a fourth beginning in 2022-23. A graduate of Princeton and Harvard universities, Prieto studied conducting with Jorge Mester, Enrique Diemecke, Charles Bruck and Michael Jinbo.

He will appear with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a special concert May 1 with cellist Yo-Yo Ma.