Enrico Lopez-Yañez Named Principal Pops Conductor of the Nashville Symphony
Currently serving as Assistant Conductor, Lopez-Yañez will oversee Pops and Family Series
Nashville, Tenn. (March 13, 2019) – The Nashville Symphony announced that Enrico Lopez-Yañez has been named Principal Pops Conductor effective at the start of the Symphony’s 2019/20 season in September. In his new position, Lopez-Yañez will play a key role in programming the Symphony’s FirstBank Pops Series, while also continuing to conduct Pops and Family Series performances, as well as select Movie Series concerts and special events.
Lopez-Yañez has served as Assistant Conductor since joining the Nashville Symphony in 2017, during which time he has led the GRAMMY®-winning orchestra on scores of Pops, Jazz and Family Series concerts and special events, as well as numerous education concerts and summer Community Concerts.
“Enrico has made an enormous impact since arriving in Nashville, and this appointment reflects the leadership, creativity and vision he has exhibited throughout that time,” said Nashville Symphony Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero. “He is a tremendously talented and versatile conductor who boasts a strong chemistry with our audience, and I am confident that he will continue to elevate the quality and versatility of the Nashville Symphony’s Pops Series programming in his new position.
“Enrico’s contributions to the Pops Series are already evident in our recently announced 2019/20 season,” Guerrero continued. “Working in collaboration with the Nashville Symphony’s artistic team, he has curated a series that will thrill and delight audiences with hugely popular artists like Trisha Yearwood and Foreigner, while also creating original programming like Music City Christmas, which will show off the Nashville Symphony’s versatility and uniquely stylish approach to popular repertoire.”
Other notable highlights of the 2019/20 Pops Series include an orchestral tribute to country music’s “Gentle Giant” Don Williams, which will make its debut October 31-November 2 at the Schermerhorn, with some very special guests still to be announced. And Lopez-Yañez hopes to make an annual tradition of Music City Christmas, taking place December 5-7, with timeless Christmas classics, popular holiday hits, Broadway singers and dancers, and a special appearance from Santa himself.
“I am thrilled to be continuing my work with the immensely talented musicians of the Nashville Symphony in my new capacity as Principal Pops Conductor,” said Lopez-Yañez. “My first two seasons in Nashville have been incredibly rewarding, thanks to the spirit of the Nashville Symphony musicians, staff and our vibrant community. I look forward to expanding my role in developing original programming and cultivating relationships with guest artists to present to our audiences next season and beyond.”
Prior to joining the Nashville Symphony, Lopez-Yañez held positions as both Conducting Fellow and Assistant Conductor for the Omaha Symphony, leading that ensemble in more than 100 performances. He is a frequent guest conductor with orchestras throughout the United States, including the Detroit Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Sarasota Orchestra and Oklahoma City Philharmonic.
Lopez-Yañez holds a master’s in Music from the University of Maryland, and he received a master’s in Music and his baccalaureate from UCLA, where he graduated summa cum laude. His full bio is available online here.
The GRAMMY® Award-winning Nashville Symphony has earned an international reputation for its innovative programming and its commitment to performing, recording and commissioning works by America’s leading composers. The Nashville Symphony has released 29 recordings on Naxos, which have received 24 GRAMMY® nominations and 13 GRAMMY® Awards, making it one of the most active recording orchestras in the country. The orchestra has also released recordings on Decca, Deutsche Grammophon and New West Records, among other labels. With more than 140 performances annually, the orchestra offers a broad range of classical, pops and jazz, and children’s concerts, while its extensive education and community engagement programs reach 60,000 children and adults each year.
