March 11, 2026
By David Salazar
Paolo Bortolameolli has been named the Phoenix Symphony‘s next Virginia G. Piper Music Director. The announcement was made from the stage of Symphony Hall on March 10, 2026.
The conductor, selected following a multi-year international search conducted in partnership with Symphony musicians, will become the organization’s 12th Music Director in its nearly 80-year history. The appointment was approved unanimously by the Symphony’s Board of Directors.
Bortolameolli, who is Music Director of the Ópera Nacional de Chile and the Filarmónica de Santiago, and Artistic Partner to Orquesta Filarmónica de Medellín, will serve as Music Director Designate during the 2026–27 season before formally assuming the title of Music Director in 2027–28.
“Conducting an orchestra is a collaborative pursuit of beauty. It is a profound honor to be appointed the next Virginia G. Piper Music Director of The Phoenix Symphony,” said Bortolameolli per an official press release. “From my first experiences with the orchestra, I felt a remarkable sense of openness, energy, collaboration, and artistic commitment among the musicians and throughout the organization. I look forward to building a meaningful and lasting relationship with the orchestra and the Arizona community” he said, “and to crafting performances that honor the great traditions of our art form while boldly exploring new voices and new possibilities.”
