FSYO Announces Dr. Mauricio Cespedes Rivero, Incoming Prelude Orchestra Conductor for 2014-2015 Season

We are excited to announce that Dr. Mauricio Cespedes Rivero will take over for Matthew Davis as the Prelude Orchestra Conductor for our upcoming 2014-2015 season.

For more information on Dr. Cespedes please read his bio:

Dr. Mauricio Cespedes Rivero was born in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and started the violin and later the viola with his father Fredy Cespedes, concertmaster of the Bolivian Symphony Orchestra, and his mother Maria Eugenia Rivero, principal cellist of the Bolivian Symphony Orchestra. An active performer, Dr. Cespedes has served as principal violist of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra since 2008. Previously, he was principal viola of the Bolivian National Symphony Orchestra, New World School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra, Miami Symphony Orchestra, Florida State University Orchestra, Lansing Symphony, and Ash Lawn Opera Festival Orchestra in Charlottesville, Virginia. He also was assistant principal violist of the Sinfonicum Europae Orchestra in the Millennium Concert at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center with principals of the New York Philharmonic. In 2011, he won the You Tube Symphony Orchestra competition and performed at the Sydney Opera House with Maestro Michael Tilson Thomas. He has collaborated with composers such as Mason Bates, Stella Sung, Ellen Tafte Zwilich (Naxos Recording), and John Williams.

As a chamber musician, Dr. Cespedes has performed in Europe, Asia, Australia, South and North America. He has been featured at the Aspen, Mimir, and Sewanee music festivals, and at the Michigan Chamber Music Society. Dr. Cespedes has collaborated with notable artists such as Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Charles Pikler, Glenn Dicterow, Cynthia Phelps, Suren Bagratuni, Randolph Kelly, Jonathan Crow, Robert DeMaine, Seunghee Lee, Susana Perry Gilmore, Anton Neil, Roger Benedict, Colin Jacobsen, Stefan Jackiw, Zoya Leybin, and Richard Tognetti.

Dr. Cespedes has been a winner of the 2002 New World School of the Arts Concerto Competition, Ibero American Symphony Competition, and Aspen Music Festival fellowship, and participated in the 2005 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition, sponsored by the Japan Chamber Music Foundation.

As a viola soloist, he has appeared with the New World School of the Arts Symphony, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Maitland Symphony, Bolivian National Symphony Orchestra, La Paz Symphony Orchestra, COFES International Festival Orchestra in Bolivia, Festival del Sol Symphony Orchestra, Camerata Concertante of Cochabamba, National Conservatory of Bolivia Symphony Orchestra and El Alto Symphony Orchestra.

Dr. Cespedes is the principal conductor of the New Score Chamber Orchestra, and conductor of the Chamber Orchestra at a Gift for Music. As a viola teacher and sectional conductor, he served as faculty of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan for six years and led master classes at Sam Houston State University, Wyoming State University, and New World School of the Arts.

He holds degrees from New World School of the Arts, Michigan State University, and Florida State University where he obtained his Doctorate degree.

Besides music, Mauricio holds a degree in Environmental Engineering with an emphasis in Management of Protected Areas in Bolivia. Mauricio has two younger sisters, Adriana who plays Bass, and Wara who plays violin. He is happily married to his wife, Emily, who plays violin and accompanies him on piano. Together they just welcomed the newest addition to their family, a son named Michael.