Hailed for his balance of technique and expression, prize winning Spanish-Venezuelan conductor Carlos Izcaray has received accolades throughout Europe, North and South America. Recognized by the international press, he is already one of today’s most outstanding young conductors, with a range of repertoire that covers all performance styles. A representative of the new Venezuelan musical generation, throughout his career he has premiered numerous instrumental, choral and operatic works by composers from the whole cultural spectrum, becoming thus a champion of both new music and rarely performed compositions. He is equally distinguished as a passionate performer of the standard repertoire.

After a very successful podium debut with the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra in 2003, Izcaray was immediately invited back to lead the ensemble in its 75th Anniversary Season, becoming since one of the most important figures in his native country’s musical life. In 2007, he went on to international stature by winning the very first James Conlon Conducting Prize in the history of the Aspen Music Festival, and was later Finalist and Laureate at the 8th Toscanini International Conducting Competition 2008. By now he has led numerous ensembles in the United States, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and has also maintained a never stopping continuity of activities in Venezuela. In 2010 he performed his European opera debut, conducting Virginia, by Saverio Mercadante, at the Wexford Opera Festival. The production won Best Opera at the 2011 Irish Times Theatre Awards, and Carlos received unanimous accolades from the British, Irish, German and American press. He was featured again in the opening of the 60th Anniversary of this prestigious festival, also receiving great echoes from the music critics for his performance of La Cour de Célimène, by Ambroise Thomas. In 2012 he will conduct his American opera debut in performances of Carmen with the St Louis Opera Theater and St Louis Symphony Orchestra. Other future engagements include his first symphonic performance at the Barbican, in London, as well as concerts with  orchestras Portugal, Italy, and Sweden.

He has conducted groups such as the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra in Switzerland, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, Orchestra Regionale dell’Emilia-Romagna, Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música, Bahia Symphony Orchestra of Brazil, Salta Symphony Orchestra in Argentina, and has established a special collaboration with the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia.  He was for three years Conductor of the Mozarteum-Caracas Chamber Orchestra, and has led most professional ensembles in his home country. As an enthusiastic collaborator with the world acclaimed Venezuelan System of Youth Orchestras, Izcaray has worked with some of the country’s top youth ensembles, also helping with the creation of orchestras in some of the most  disadvantaged sectors. 

A distinguished instrumentalist, he was Principal Cello of the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra for four years, which also elected him President of the Artistic Commission. He has been featured as soloist with orchestras in the United States, Argentina, and all mayor ensembles in his country. Izcaray has also taught master classes for the American String Teachers Association, as well as in many North and South American festivals and universities. Prior to dedicating his agenda to conducting, he was featured as recitalist in cities like Miami, Cincinnati, Chicago, Bloomington, Caracas, Salta and Buenos Aires.  He also studied chamber music at depth with members of the LaSalle, Vermeer, Tokyo, Takács, Orion, Emerson, Penderecki, Carmina, Borodin, Colorado, Cleveland, and Miami string quartets. He won the Chamber Music Prize at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and was for three years member of the Avila String Quartet, with which he toured around the Americas.

Carlos Izcaray was born in Caracas into a family of several artistic generations. At age 3, he was enrolled in El Sistema’s kindergarden program, and continued later at the Emil Friedman Conservatory, which is rooted in the European tradition.  He studied conducting with his father since he was a teenager, and went on to become a distinguished fellow at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen, under the guidance of Maestro David Zinman and Murry Sidlin. He also participated in masterclasses with Marin Alsop and Patrick Summers, and is an alumnus of the Interlochen Arts Academy, New World School of the Arts, and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.