Biography

Alejandra Urrutia

Orchestra conductor

“Alejandra is a very good orchestra conductor and meticulous, refined musician”.
Ivan Fischer, Budapest Festival Orchestra Conductor

She is a recognized presence on the international podium. With the ability to go from a powerful and intense Mahler to Mozart’s refinement and subtlety, she is one of those orchestra conductors who understand the power of silence in both music and life. Alejandra combines a profound and abiding calm with her great love for music. Alejandra Urrutia is currently Music Director of the Chamber Orchestra of the Teatro Municipal de Santiago (Chilean National Opera).

This 24/25 season, Alejandra will make her debut with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin and will once again conduct the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile, as well as the Orquesta Filarmónica de Santiago with the Ballet de Santiago

In 2023, she opened the season with the Orquesta Filarmónica de Santiago, and debuted with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México, and the Orquestra Sinfônica da Universidade de São Paulo, as well as the Compañía de Danza Nacional de México with the Orquesta del Teatro de Bellas Artes. Alejandra Urrutia was part of the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship, the mentorship program for female conductors led by Marin Alsop. At the beginning of 2023, she became an “Artista FIA,” in recognition for being the most important Chilean female orchestra conductor, with a career of great international projection.

Alejandra is the recipient of the Mahler Award bestowed in 2020 by the Sociedad Mahler México, which has also been granted to Sir Simon Rattle, Bernard Haitink and Gustavo Dudamel, among others.

She is currently Music Director of the Chamber Orchestra of the Teatro Municipal de Santiago (Chilean National Opera). Alejandra Urrutia was Music Director of the Orquesta de Cámara de Chile and, previously, Music Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica Provincial de Santa Fe, Argentina, for three years. She is also the Artistic and Music Director of the Portillo International Music Festival and Academy, the Gran Concierto por la Hermandad, and the HUB for Women Conductors.

From 2018 to 2021 Alejandra Urrutia was assistant conductor to maestro Iván Fischer (Konzerthausorchester in Berlin and Budapest Festival Orchestra)

In January 2019, Alejandra launched one of the most innovative projects in Chile, the Portillo International Music Academy Festival, of which she is artistic and musical director. This training session for young musicians in the majestic Andes Mountains focuses on learning the chamber and orchestral music repertoire with international teachers, in addition to including leadership, coaching and hatha yoga classes, developing the comprehensive training of great talents. from Latin America and the world.

As creator and general director of the Great Concert for the Brotherhood, Alejandra Urrutia annually brings together more than 150 instrumental musicians and a citizen choir of more than 200 people convened by the motto “Music, a common territory”, in a beautiful project born as a message of unit. For January 2025 the chosen work will be – Felix Mendelssohn, Symphony-Cantata “Lobgesang”.

Throughout her artistic career, Alejandra Urrutia has worked with orchestras in Europe, North America and Latin America, including: Biel Solothurn Orchestra, Ensamble Orchestral du Paris, the National Arts Center Orchestra of Canada, Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music Orchestra, New York Chamber Players and the American Academy of Conducting Orchestra of Aspen, United States. The Bahía Blanca Provincial Symphony Orchestra, Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra, Rosario Provincial Symphony Orchestra in Argentina, Teatro Colón Academic Orchestra, Mendoza Philharmonic Orchestra with pianist Bruno Gelber, Córdoba Provincial Symphony Orchestra in Argentina, National Symphony Orchestra of UFF in Niteroi, Brazil. Montevideo Philharmonic Orchestra, Sodre Symphony Orchestra in Uruguay. In Chile he has worked with the country’s main orchestras, including: Santiago Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Chile, with whom in 2014 they performed the first concert on Easter Island together with pianist Mahani Teave. She was also a guest director in the 2015 summer seasons at the Frutillar Musical Weeks; Ñuble Symphony Orchestra, Valdivia Chamber Orchestra, Temuco Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of the University of Concepción, Chamber Orchestra of the Catholic University of Chile, La Serena Symphony Orchestra, Classical Orchestra of the University of Santiago, Philharmonic Orchestra de los Ríos and Maule Regional Orchestra.

In 2016, the violinist Dorian Lamotte together with Emmanuele Thery of the Belgian label Le Chant de Linos and Alejandra recorded together music by Latin American composers: Orogenika II for violin and orchestra by maestro Santiago Vera-Rivera and Camino al Norte suite for violin and orchestra by the maestro Esteban D’Antona.

In January 2017, together with the Chilean Chamber Orchestra, they recorded Danza d’Amore, Primavera, Tempo di Gavotta and Romanza sin Palabras by maestro Enrique Soro; Andean Moment by maestro Vicente Bianchi. In February 2013, he recorded an album for CRS Artists with the New York Chamber Players with works by North American composers, including John Schlenck’s Fanfare and Variations for Chamber Orchestra, John Russo’s Three Studies for Clarinet and Orchestra and Giacomo Francis Three Variations on a Thema of Michael Levy for Piano and Orchestra. In November 2012, he worked with the American composer, Gabriela Lena Frank, on the premiere of the “Suite Compadre Huashayo”, a classic work that includes the roots of Andean music. On this occasion presented together with the Orquesta de Instrumentos Andinos de Quito, a unique group in the world. A documentary of this work has been edited for the American television channel PBS. The same year he recorded an album with the Chilean guitarist Carlos Pérez and the Classical Orchestra of the University of Santiago de Chile called: “Two Latin American Concerts”, with works by Leo Brouwer and Antonio Lauro.

Born in Concepción, Chile. He has studied with teachers such as Robert Spano and Hugh Wolff at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen, in addition to participating in courses with teachers Marin Alsop, Kenneth Kiesler, Gustav Meier, Hans Graf, Larry Rachleff and Murry Sidlin. She has worked internationally as a conductor, violinist and educator with academic training at the University of Michigan in the United States.

Alejandra Urrutia is a Fanjul & Ward artist in Latin America and a Pura Musica Artist in the rest of the world.