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Alejandra is the 2020 recipient of the Mahler Award given by the Mahler Society of Mexico, which has been also granted to Sir Simon Rattle, Bernard Haitink and Gustavo Dudamel, among others. At the beginning of 2023 she became an "FIA Artist", for being the most important Chilean orchestra conductor with a career of great international projection.
She is part of the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship, a mentorship for women conductors led by Marin Alsop.
During 2023 she will open the season of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Santiago, Chile and will make her debut with the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico and the Symphony Orchestra of the University of Sao Paulo.
Currently, Alejandra is the Chief Conductor of the Santiago Municipal Chamber Orchestra - National Opera of Chile. During the past 5 years, she was the Chief Conductor of the Chile Chamber Orchestra and concurrently with that, the Chief Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Santa Fe, Argentina.
During 2017 until 2021, Alejandra began to work alongside maestro Ivan Fischer, principal conductor of the Konzerthausorchester in Berlin and of the Budapest Festival Orchestra.
Just like many other conductors, Alejandra Urrutia Borlando started her career by conducting youth orchestras, having the privilege to work with the young musicians of Curanilahue for 9 years, watching how music, discipline and the acquisition of one’s own identity made the children as well as the community arrive at another level of self-esteem.
Alejandra launched one of the most innovative projects in Chile: the Portillo International Music Festival & Academy, an initiative for the instruction of young musicians in the majestic Andes Mountains. The Academy focuses on learning the chamber music repertoire under the guidance of international teachers, in addition to classes of leadership, coaching and hatha-yoga for promoting a holistic development of Latin America’s great talents.
As creator and conductor of the Concert for Humanity (Gran Concierto por la Hermandad), Alejandra brings together annually more than 150 instrumental musicians and a citizen choir of more than 200 people convened by the slogan "Music, a common territory", in a beautiful project born as a message of unity. This January 2023, it was Carl Orff's Carmina Burana that brought together more than 5500 people at the Centro Cultural Estación Mapocho and more than 2500 people by streaming, who were able to celebrate humanity together again.
With the ability to move from a powerful and intense Mahler to the refinement and subtlety of Mozart in less than a heartbeat, Ale is one of those conductors that understands the power of silence within the music as well as in life. She combines a constant and deep calm with her great love for music, blending exquisiteness with natural simplicity.
Ale is someone who never ceases to explore new horizons, often finding unexpected results within established as well as new pieces. Born in Concepcion, Chile. She has studied with master teachers such as Robert Spano and Hugh Wolff at the American Academy of Conducting in Aspen, as well as participating in courses with maestros Marin Alsop, Kenneth Kiesler, Gustav Meier, Hans Graf, Larry Radcleff and Murry Sidlin. She has worked internationally as a conductor, violinist and educator and carries an academic background from the University of Michigan in the United States.
ABOUT
Throughout her artistic career, she has worked with orchestras in Europe, North America and Latin America including: Biel Solothurn Orchestra, Ensemble Orchestral du Paris in France; the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada, Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music Orchestra, the New York Chamber Players y the Orchestra of the American Academy of Conducting of Aspen in the United States. The Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra, The Symphony Orchestra of Rosario, The Symphony Orchestra of Santa Fé, The Symphony Orchestra of Bahia Blanca, the Orchestra of the Orchestral Academy of Colón Theatre, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Mendoza along with pianist Bruno Gelber, The Symphony Orchestra of Córdoba in Argentina. The National Symphony Orchestra of UFF in Niteroi in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, Philharmonic Orchestra and Sodre Orchestra of Montevideo in Uruguay and in Chile she has worked with the principal orchestras including: The Philharmonic of Santiago, The National Symphony Orchestra of Chile, with whom she performed the first ever concert in Easter Island in 2014 with renowned pianist Mahani Teave. She was also a guest conductor invited with the summer program of the Musical Week of Frutillar in 2015 as well as the Symphony Orchestra of Ñuble, Symphony Orchestra of Concepcion, The Chamber Orchestra of the Catholic University of Chile, The Symphony Orchestra of La Serena, the Classical Orchestra of University of Santiago, The Philharmonic Orchestra of Los Rios and the Regional Orchestra of Maule in Chile.
In 2016, the violinist Dorian Lamotte alongside Emmanuele Thery of the Belgian label Le Chant de Linos, approached Alejandra inviting her to direct an orchestral recording, empowering her to elect the orchestra of her choice. In January of 2017, with the Chamber Orchestra of Chile they recorded Danza d´Amore, Primavera, Tempo di Gavotta and Romanza Sin Palabras from the maestro Enrique Soro; Momento Andino from maestro Vicente Bianchi; Orogenika II for violin and orchestra from the maestro Santiago Vera Rivera as well as Camino al Norte suite for violin and orchestra from maestro Esteban D´Antona.
In February of 2013, she recorded a disc for the CRS Artists together with the New York Chamber Players with works from North American composers, among them John Schlenck’s Fanfare and Variations for Chamber Orchestra, John Russo’s Three Studies for Clarinet and Orchestra, and Giacomo Francis Three Variations on a Theme of Michael Levy for Piano and Orchestra.
In November of 2012, she worked with the American composer Gabriela Lena Frank, on the debut of “Suite Compadre Huashayo”, a classical work that includes the roots of Andean music and presented in this opportunity with the Orchestra of Andean Instruments of Quito, a unique ensemble in the world today. A documentary of this opus has been edited for American television channel PBS.
That same year, Alejandra made another recording alongside the Chilean guitarist Carlos Pérez and the Classical Orchestra of the University of Santiago of Chile; it was called “Two Latin-American Concerts“ with works of Leo Brouwer and Antonio Lauro.
So at the end of the day, what is it that moves Alejandra Urrutia Borlando to dedicate so much to this demanding career? The answer is very simple, just like Ale herself. Nothing more than her absolute love for the music and the capacity it has to open new horizons in minds and hearts all over the world.
Alejandra Urrutia is a Fanjul&Ward artist in Latin America and a Pura Musica artist in the rest of the world.
"Alejandra is fine conductor, and a meticulous refined musician."
Ivan Fischer, conductor of the Budapest Festival Orchestra
"I had the unexpected opportunity to
serve as concertmaster
under the brilliant Chilean conductor Alejandra Urrutia this past January in a number of concerts in Portillo and Santiago.
Alejandra had total command of the music and of the orchestra. What struck me the most was that she had a vision for each piece we played. And her ability to communicate this vision to the orchestra and audience was impressive. She is a charismatic performer who brings the great qualities of honesty, clarity and warmth to everything she approaches. I enjoyed the experience enormously."
Peter Winograd, 1st Violin
The American String Quartet
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