(Partnership with The Orchestra Now at Bard College)
Venezuelan conductor Leonardo Pineda has pursued orchestral conducting studies under the guidance of Harold Faberman, Leon Botstein and James Bagwell at Bard College. He is the founder and artistic director of Bard Music Colombia, Director of Youth Music Education and South American Music Curator for The Orchestra Now and the Bard Music Festival. Currently through a partnership and educational collaboration with The Orchestra Now at Bard College, Leonardo serves as an assistant conductor for the Classical Music Institute for Ascend, CMI’s summer educational program. As a guest conductor, he has conducted the Universidad Autónoma of Bucaramanga Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra, CMI Chamber Orchestra, Bard Conservatory Orchestra, Pedro Antonio Rios Reyna Orchestra and the Simón Bolivar-Táchira Orchestra. As an orchestral violinist, Leonardo has performed with renowned conductors such as Valery Gergiev, Leon Botstein, Tan Dun, Marin Alsop, Harold Farberman, James Bagwell, Fabio Luisi, Hans Graff, Jan Latham Koenig, JoAnn Falletta, Gerard Schwarz, Domingo Garcia and Cristian Macelaru. Leonardo has recently participated in the European Union International Conducting Competition in Bulgaria.
