KANSAS CITY, Mo. | January 13, 2022 — The Kansas City Symphony is excited to announce the appointment of Gonzalo Farias as the David T. Beals III Associate Conductor beginning with the 2022/23 season. Currently associate conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Farias was selected at the conclusion of an international search with more than 120 applicants.

“I am absolutely thrilled to work side by side with the world-class musicians and administration of the Kansas City Symphony,” said Farias. “I feel a great sense of excitement and responsibility to be part of the respect, trust and love established by Michael Stern and the KC Symphony in the community. I can’t wait to meet everyone and create lifelong memories.”

Music Director Michael Stern echoed the excitement expressed by Farias. “The associate conductor’s role is a vital one which touches every facet of our orchestra’s daily life and work. It requires wonderful musicianship, personality on the podium, leadership skills, and consummate preparation so as to be ready for any last-minute situation. Here at the Kansas City Symphony, we have been fortunate to have had some remarkable colleagues in that demanding job. Most recently, Jason Seber set the bar very high. Happily, Gonzalo Farias is a worthy successor. From the very start of his audition, his gifts and passion for music were abundantly clear. He has great experience both as a conductor and as an accomplished pianist, and I have no doubt that he is going to make a tremendous contribution to our orchestra and the musical life of our city.”

A native of Chile, Farias will move to Kansas City this summer and will play an important role in representing the Kansas City Symphony in the community. He will lead the orchestra’s educational programs — more than 40 performances, reaching more than 30,000 students annually. In addition, Farias will conduct many of the Symphony’s pops, family and Film + Live Orchestra concerts as well as other special presentations. He will make his conducting debut with the Symphony on April 9, 2022, leading the orchestra in a family program that features Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf.

   

“I am thrilled to welcome Gonzalo Farias to the Kansas City Symphony,” said Executive Director Danny Beckley. “I was most impressed by his conducting at the audition, and I know he will be an excellent advocate for music and for the Symphony in our Kansas City community. He is an outstanding addition to our orchestra.”

Representing the Symphony’s musicians, Principal Oboe Kristina Fulton (Shirley Bush Helzberg Chair) added, “We are so excited to welcome Gonzalo Farias into the Kansas City Symphony family as our associate conductor for the upcoming seasons. In a strong pool of candidates, he stood out for his desire to share the way music can benefit us all, enriching the lives of the whole community. He demonstrated strength in his abilities but also a willingness to improve and grow. And above all, he showed us that he truly enjoys the art of music making, and that he is excited to spread this joy among our musicians and audiences alike.”

Farias has degrees in orchestral conducting from the Peabody Conservatory at John Hopkins University and the University of Illinois. In addition to his experience as a conductor, Farias holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the New England Conservatory of Music and is an accomplished pianist.

Current associate conductor Jason Seber will conclude his six-year tenure with the Kansas City Symphony in June 2022. He will be deeply missed by the musicians, staff and community, and the Symphony wishes him the best as he explores new opportunities for his career.

 

Media Contact:
Jeff Barker
(816) 218-2626
jbarker@kcsymphony.org

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About the Kansas City Symphony

Founded in 1982, the Kansas City Symphony has established itself as a major force in the cultural life of the community. Praised for performances of uncompromising standard, the orchestra is the largest in the region and enjoys a national reputation under the artistic leadership of Music Director Michael Stern. The Symphony performs more than 130 concerts each year, reaching more than 250,000 community members. The Symphony welcomes guests of international acclaim as part of its Classical and Pops series and serves as the orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.