Rafael Payare

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Conductor
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Worldwide general management with Askonas Holt

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About Rafael

Music Director: Orchestre symphonique de Montréal Music Director: San Diego Symphony

The 2024/25 season marks Rafael Payare’s third season as Music Director of Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and his fifth as Music Director of California’s San Diego Symphony.

With his innate musicianship, charismatic energy, gift for communication and irresistibly joyous spirit, Rafael works with the world’s leading orchestras including the Wiener Philharmoniker, Chicago Symphony, Munchner Philharmoniker, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Berlin Staatskapelle, London Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe and The Cleveland Orchestra. Highlights of the current season include a major European tour with the OSM, plus return visits to the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden to conduct Turandot.

Payare was previously Principal Conductor and Music Director of the Ulster Orchestra from 2014-2019, with whom he appeared twice at the BBC Proms in 2016 and 2019. He now holds the title of Conductor Laureate in recognition of his artistic contribution to the Orchestra and City of Belfast during his five-year tenure.

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Representation

Worldwide general management with Askonas Holt

Follow Rafael

Season Highlights

Sep 2024
Orchestre symphonique de Montreal
Schoenberg: Gurre-Lieder Dorothea Röschmann, soprano (Tove) Clay Hilley, tenor (Waldemar) Karen Cargill, mezzo-soprano (Colombe) Stephan Rügamer, tenor (Klaus, le fou) Thomas E. Bauer, baritone (paysan) Ben Heppner, Sprechstimme (récitant) Mani Soleymanlou, Presenter Chœur de l’OSM
Oct 2024
San Diego Symphony Orchestra
Larcher: Time: Three Movements for Orchestra (SDSO co-commission) Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Resurrection Angela Meade (soprano) Anna Larsson (mezzo-soprano)
Oct 2024
New York Philharmonic
Gubaidulina: Fairytale Poem Mozart: Clarinet Concerto Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.6, Pathetique Anthony McGill (clarinet)

Video

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News

Press

  • San Diego Symphony Orchestra / East Coast tour 2023/24

    Carnegie Hall, New York
    Oct 2023 - Oct 2023

    • The epicenter of symphonic activity in the Golden State seemed to shift southward Friday night, at least in Carnegie Hall, as the San Diego Symphony, led by its music director Rafael Payare, showed it could go toe-to-toe and note-for-note with those more storied ensembles up the coast... The Venezuelan conductor, another proud product of that country’s El Sistema program for young musicians, brought a youthful, dynamic presence to the podium that belied his 43 years.

Discography