Jorge Mester is recognized throughout the world as a preeminent conductor renowned for the excellence and prominence he brings to every organization he leads. He served as Music Director of the Pasadena Symphony (CA) for 25 years, and 2011 marks his 8th season as Music Director of the Naples Philharmonic (FL). In July 2006, Mester was invited to return as Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra (KY), a position he previously held for twelve years from 1967-1979. During his Louisville tenure, Mester recorded an astounding 140 recording premieres. Among the composers whose works he recorded are Dmitri Shostakovich, Krzystof Penderecki, Carlos Chavez, Frank Martin, Henry Cowell, Peter Mennin, Walter Piston, Samuel Barber, George Crumb, Leonardo Balada, and Peter Sculthope. In 1985, he received  Columbia University’s prestigious Ditson Conductor’s Award for the advancement of American music.

Mester is Conductor Laureate of the  Aspen Music Festival, which he led as Music Director for 21 years from 1970-1991. He also served as Music Director of the Casals Festival  for seven years. As a guest conductor, Mester has traveled the world to appear with such orchestras as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of  London, Cape Town Symphony Orchestra, Budapest Concert Orchestra, and the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra. He was Chief conductor of  the West Australia Symphony Orchestra in Perth, and was principal guest conductor of the Adelaide Symphony. In the U.S. he has conducted the orchestras of Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Cincinnati, Seattle, Oregon, Milwaukee, Rochester, Buffalo and Virginia and  was principal guest conductor of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. He commanded worldwide attention when he conducted the opening  ceremonies for the Getty Center in Los Angeles in 1997, and subsequently served as Artistic Director of the Center’s first classical music  series. Mester’s passion for opera has led him to become a sought-after conductor in opera houses worldwide, including the New York City  Opera, the Sydney Opera, the Spoleto Festival and Washington Opera.

Jorge Mester’s enthusiasm for conducting extends from the stage to the classroom. He served as Director of the Juilliard School’s  Conducting Department during the early 1980’s; he also has served as Director of Conductor Development for the Australian Broadcasting  Corporation, and has given several workshops for ASOL and the Conductors’ League. He enjoys working with young people, and has been  a guest conductor at the USC Thornton School of Music. Says Mester, “I love teaching. I hope to pay back the help which Leonard  Bernstein, Gregor Piatigorski, William Schuman, and Jean Morel gave me early in my career.” Indeed, he has taught several generations of  conductors, including James Conlon, Dennis Russell Davies, Andreas Delfs, JoAnn Falletta, and John Nelson. In addition he mentored,  early in their careers, such internationally acclaimed artists as Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Midori, Renee Fleming, Cho-Liang Lin, and  Robert McDuffie. He also mentored past conductors from Young Musicians Foundation’s Debut Orchestra, including Bundit Ungrangsee,  Joana Carneiro and Sean Newhouse.