Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero Steps Down from the Nashville Symphony

Guerrero will be named Music Director Laureate beginning in the 2025-26 Season

Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero recently announced that he will step down as Music Director of the Nashville Symphony at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season — which will be his 16^th in that role.

He will serve as Music Director Laureate beginning in the 2025-26 season, in which he will return to lead the Orchestra four weeks per year as the organization transitions to new artistic leadership.

He began leading the Nashville Symphony in the 2009-10 season. Since then, the orchestra has collarboated with Ben Folds, Béla Fleck, Victor Wooten, Kip Winger, and other Nashville-based recording artists and premiered nearly two dozen works under Guerrero’s leadership.

Other highlights of Guerrero's tenure included a special Gala program of John Williams music conducted by the composer at Guerrero’s invitation; commissions of multi-media presentations including Carl Orff’s Carmina burana with the Nashville Ballet, Julia Wolfe’s Her Story, and Hannibal Lokumbe’s The Jonah People: A Legacy of Struggle and Triumph; a performance of Charles Ives’ “Universe” Symphony and Terry Riley’s Electric Violin Concerto, a Nashville Symphony commission, as part of Carnegie Hall’s 2012 Spring for Music festival; Violins of Hope Nashville; and Gabriela Lena Frank’s Conquest Requiem.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have built here in Nashville, how we've done it, and where we are. We have accomplished so much musically even while persevering through a number of crises, including a flood, a major financial crisis, and finally the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been a richly rewarding partnership,” said Giancarlo Guerrero. “Our tremendous discography of definitive recordings of contemporary American repertoire has also helped us remain fresh and vital and extends the brand of ‘Music City’ globally with our own musical stamp. Another way orchestras stay vital is when they—and their audiences—benefit from other perspectives. Though I look forward to being involved with the Nashville Symphony for a long time as Music Director Laureate, I am excited to see what the Nashville Symphony has in store as their identity evolves with new musical leadership.”

“We owe Giancarlo Guerrero a debt of gratitude for his amazing work with the Orchestra and his devotion to our city," said Nashville Symphony Board Chair Pamela Carter. "His passion and enthusiasm for sharing musical experiences with our audiences is unparalleled, and we are grateful that he is giving us the gift of additional time with us as we search for his successor.”