Christian Vasquez

Christian Vásquez is one of the most prolific musical talents to emerge from Venezuela in the recent years. Renowned for his charismatic stage presence, powerful interpretations and compelling musical integrity, Vásquez continues to attract international attention as one of today´s most outstanding conductors.  

Christian Vásquez was Chief Conductor of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra from 2013 until 2019. After a successful relationship with the Orchestra, he began his tenure in August 2013 with a performance of Mahler´s Symphony No. 2 at the orchestra´s new hall. He toured with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra throughout Scandinavia, Russia, Germany and the Netherlands, with ambitious programs and receiving outstanding reviews.

In the 2015-16 season Christian Vásquez became the Principal Guest Conductor of the Het Gelders Orkest, starting his tenure with a tour of the Netherlands and featuring an all-Latin American program. In the spring of 2015, he enjoyed another huge success when he led four performances of Carmen by Bizet with the Norwegian Opera.

Vásquez held the position of Music Director of the Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra of Venezuela from 2010 to 2017. He took the orchestra on international tours to main cities in Europe and Asia, including London, Berlin, Lisbon, Hamburg, Milan, Toulouse, Vienna, Amsterdam, Salzburg, Munich, Stockholm, Istanbul, Tokio, Beijing and Shanghai.

Following his debut with the Gävle Symfoniorkester in 2009, in one of his first European appearances, Christian Vásquez was appointed its Principal Guest Conductor from 2010 to 2013.

In addition to his many responsibilities with the Gävle Symfoniorkester , Christian Vásquez led the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande , Vienna Radio Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg, Russian State Symphony, Tokyo Philharmonic and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

In 2010, Vásquez received an invitation from Zubin Mehta to make his debut with the Israel Philharmonic. During the 2010-11 season Vásquez also led the Vienna Radio Symphony, the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra and the Belgian National Orchestra.

In North America, Vásquez conducted the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Qué año? (conozco bien a la gente de Otawa y NJ)

Highlights of the 2012-13 season, include appearances with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, the Salzburg Camerata with a tour that included performances at the Grosses Festspielhaus, Wiener Konzerthaus, Alte Oper de Frankfurt and Berliner Philharmonie.

Christian’s 2013/14 season included projects with the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, the Galicia Symphony, the Berlin Konzerthausorchester, the Prague Radio Symphony, the Warsaw Beethoven Festival and the Turku Philharmonic. In the 2014/15 season he returned to the Arnhem Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, and the Turku Philharmonic.

Highlights of the 2015/16 season included projects with the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, the Prague Radio Symphony, the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico and the Poznan Philharmonic.

In addition to his regular commitments in Stavanger and Arnhem, during the 2017-18 season Christian Vásquez returned to the Danish National Opera for their New Year’s Concert with the Royal Danish Orchestra. He will also made his debut with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra (esto ya ha ocurrido?). Further orchestral highlights include collaborations with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and a European tour with the Het Gelders Orkest.

During 2017/18 season Christian made his debut with Rotterdam Philharmonic and with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra alongside Pinchas Zukerman. He also returned to the Turku Philharmonic, the Helsinki Philharmonic, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and the Seoul Philharmonic.

In the summer 2018 Christian Vásquez made his debut with the InterHarmony International Festival’s Youth Orchestra giving masterclasses and performing with Sergey Khachatryan. In addition to his regular commitments in Stavanger and Arnhem, in the 2018/19 Vásquez return to the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra to conduct the 9th Symphony by Beethoven as part of the orchestra’s long-standing December tradition. He will also make his debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and soloist Stefan Dohr. Este concierto ya ha tomado lugar, verdad?

In 2021, Vásquez conducted the opening concert of the Tongyeong International Music Festival in Korea and was Assistant Conductor to Gustavo Dudamel in a new production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro at the Opera de Paris.

In 2023, he was Assistant Conductor to Gustavo Dudamel in a production of Wagner´s Tristan and Isolde at the Opera de Paris and made his debut with the Paris Opera Orchestra and the Opera Ballet School conducting four performances at the Garnier Opera.

Vásquez has worked closely with some of the most distinguished musicians today, including Simon Rattle, Frank Peter Zimmermann, Truls Mork, Sol Gabetta, Sergio Tiempo, Ray Chen, Kolja Blacher, Veronika Eberle, James Ehnes, Elina Vähälä, Sergey Khachatryan, Liza Ferschtman, Arabella Steinbacher, Benjamin Schmid, Alexandra Soumm, Antoine Tamestit, Natalie Clein, Julian Steckel, Claudio Bohorquez, Narek Hakhnazaryan, Amanda Forsyth, Jamie Walton, Pei- Jee Ng, Jian Wang.

He also worked with other internationally renowned soloists such as Edicson Ruiz, Martin Grubinger, Pacho Flores, Kari Kriikku, Hakan Hardenberger, Tine Thing Helseth, Juan Ferrer, Reinhold Friedrich, Colin Currie, Simon Trpceski, Jonathan Biss, Kyrill Gerstein, Makoto Ozone, Håvard Gimse, Ingolf Wunder, Nicholas Hodges, Joseph Moog, Kristhyan Benitez, Kristiina Rokashevich, Bertrand Chamayou, Marianna Shirinyan, Lucas Jussen, Ole Kristian Dahl, Rolan Pontinen, Igor Levit y Stefan Schulz.

Christian was born in Caracas. He began his music studies as a violinist and member of the renowned Venezuelan musical education program El Sistema. He began conducting studies under the tutelage of José Antonio Abreu in 2006.

Christian Vásquez is represented by Halac Artists LLC

August 2024