Alondra de la Parra - Conductor 　　 　　Alondra de la Parra (born October 31, 1980) is a Mexican conductor. She was also the founder and artistic director of the New York-based Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas. Currently she is the artist director of the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra. She stepped down at the end of the 2013 season. 　　 　　Born in New York City and raised from the age of two years in Mexico City, de la Parra began her piano studies at age 7 and the cello at age 13. During adolescence she discovered her passion for conducting and at the age of 16 moved to London to pursue high school and music studies at the St Leonards-Mayfield School. 　　 　　In the year 2000 at age 19, de la Parra moved to New York City to study Piano and Conducting at Manhattan School of Music. She obtained a BM in Piano Performance under the direction of Jeffrey Cohen and studied conducting with her mentor, Kenneth Kiesler, receiving an MA in Conducting in 2008. De la Parra has also been coached by Marin Alsop, Charles Dutoit, and Kurt Masur. 　　 　　 　　Awards 　　 　　Pablo Casals Award, Manhatthan School of Music 　　New York Women’s Agenda – Rising Star of 2007 　　1010 Wins “Newsmakers of Tomorrow” Award – winner in the Arts and Entertainment category 　　“Banda de Honor”, highest honor given to conductors by the Venezuelan System of Orchestras (FESNOJIV) 　　Manhattan School of Music Taki Concordia Fellowship for Conductors Honorable Mention Award 　　“El Micrófono de Oro” Award, (Highest prize given yearly from the Mexican Broadcasting Association) 　　Presser Merit Scholarship Award, Manhattan School of Music 　　Amigos de la Música Music Award, Cuernavaca, Morelos 　　Luna Award, Auditorio Nacional México 　　Poder Award, ABC Foundation and Poder Magazine 　　 　　It was during her undergraduate studies at Manhattan School of Music that de la Parra created what would be the start of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas. In 2004 the Mexican Consulate asked de la Parra to produce a concert featuring Mexican music for the Mexico Now Festival. A 65-piece orchestra concert was produced to critical acclaim from major publications. It was at this event that de la Parra became the first Mexican woman to ever conduct a concert in New York City. Since its inception, POA has accomplished two international tours , initiated a Young Composers' Competition, and established an Arts and Education Program, while also presenting an annual season in New York City. 　　 　　As of June 3, 2011 the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas has suspended operations due to a difficult economic environment. 　　 　　Conductor Alondra de la Parra has gained widespread attention for her 　　 spellbinding and vibrant performances, making her one of the most compelling 　　 conductors of her generation. She holds the distinction of being the first Mexican 　　 woman to conduct in New York City, and is an official Cultural Ambassador of 　　 Mexico. She has been heralded by Plácido Domingo as “an extraordinary 　　 conductor” and the French newspaper Le Monde states that “there is no doubt that, 　　 with Alondra de la Parra classical music has arrived into the XXI Century”. 　　 　　Frequently in demand as guest conductor, Alondra de la Parra has led some of the 　　 most prestigious orchestras of France, Germany, USA, Japan, Brazil, Sweden and 　　 Russia including the Orchestre de Paris, RSB Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra 　　 and Milan’s Cameristi della Scala. She also undertook a tour across China with the 　　 Orchestre National du Capitole de Tolouse. 　　In Latin America, De la Parra works frequently Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra and 　　 with the Simón Bolivar Youth Orchestra, from whom she received their highest 　　 award. She has also conducted Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, the Buenos Aires 　　 Philharmonic in Argentina, Montevideo’s Philharmonic in Uruguay and in Mexico, 　　 the orchestras of Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Sinaloa, Xalapa, Puebla, San Luis 　　 Potosí, Estado de México and the National Symphony. 　　 　　Highlights of season 2014-15 are return invitations to conduct RSB Berlin Radio 　　 Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre de Paris. Following this, she will have make 　　 her debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich as 　　 well as her subscription debut with the NHK Symphony. 　　 　　She will also conduct the Verbier Festival Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra 　　 of Wales, Cameristi della Scala, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre 　　 Symphonique de Québec, and the RTE National Symphony Orchestra. Moreover, 　　 she will work together with Tonkünstler Orchestra Vienna and composer Enjott 　　 Schneider on a new CD project. This summer she will conduct West Side Story 　　 with a live projection of the film in Mexico’s Auditorio Nacional. 　　 　　In 2004 at age 23 Alondra de la Parra founded the Philharmonic Orchestra of the 　　 Americas (POA). Her mission was to create an orchestra that would serve as a 　　 platform to showcase young performers and composers of the Americas, giving the 　　 continent’s music an unquestioned place in the standard orchestral repertoire. With 　　 POA De la Parra recorded her debut Album “Mi Alma Mexicana” (“My Mexican 　　 Soulreleased in 2010 by Sony Classical) which celebrates Mexico’s Bicentennial 　　 anniversary with 200 years of Mexican orchestral music. The album was amongst 　　 the top 10 on the US Billboard Classical Chart and was the first classical recording 　　 in more than a decade to earn Platinum Record Status in Mexico in less than two 　　 months. In the same year De la Parra and the POA performed during Mexico’s 　　 Bicentennial celebrations in the Monumento a la Independencia (Independence 　　 Monument, commonly known as “El Ángel”), an event that was attended by 　　 hundreds of thousands and seen around the world by an estimated 200 million 　　 households. 　　 　　Since 2003, Alondra has developed several education programs in public schools 　　 of NY. In Oaxaca she worked with the Benito Juárez Youth Philharmonic Band. 　　 She developed and directed a 10-day clinic program, assisted by members of the 　　 Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra in which she worked with the children of the 　　 Orquesta Renacimiento in the state of Guerrero in Mexico. She is working on 　　 continuing these programs all around Mexican territory. She also organized a free 　　 conducting programme with Kenneth Kiesler for Mexican rising talents that 　　 celebrated its second edition this year. 　　 　　De la Parra has done multidisciplinary collaborations with different artists, such as 　　 actors Geoffrey Rush and Robert Redford, filmmaker Michel Gondry, 　　 choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and musicians such as Gloria Estefan, 　　 Natalia Lafourcade, Gustavo Santaolalla, among others. De la Parra performs 　　 frequently with Plácido Domingo.