APO announces artist change for The New Zealand Herald Premier Series: Cityscapes

Carlos Miguel Prieto’s charismatic conducting is characterised by its dynamism and expressivity. A highly influential cultural leader, Prieto is recognised as the foremost Mexican conductor of his generation. He has been Music Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México, the country’s most important orchestra, since 2007. Prieto has also been Music Director of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra since 2006, where he led the cultural renewal of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. In 2008 he was appointed Music Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería, a hand-picked orchestra performing annual summer series across Mexico City.

Recent highlights include his debuts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Washington, Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Los Angeles New Music Group and his returns to the NDR Elbphilharmonie, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, the Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Strasbourg Philharmonic and the Auckland Philharmonia. He is in great demand as a guest conductor with many of the top North American orchestra including Cleveland, Dallas, Toronto and Houston Symphony orchestras and has enjoyed a particularly close and successful relationship with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Celebrated for his commitment to new music, Prieto has conducted over 100 world premieres by Mexican and North American composers, many of which he commissioned himself. He is also renowned for championing classical music by