About Darwin
Dominican conductor and composer Darwin Aquino is one of the most internationally active Caribbean musical artists of his generation. Equally accomplished on the podium and as a composer, he has built a career spanning the Americas and Europe, shaped by artistic leadership, keen originality, and a commitment to Latin American culture. His work reflects a synthesis of folkloric traditions and contemporary expression, drawing inspiration from the rhythms, colors, and imagination of the Caribbean.
Aquino currently serves as Head of Music at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Music Director of the St. Louis Ballet Orchestra and the Musica Sacra Concert Series at Santo Domingo’s National Cathedral, and Conductor-in-Residence with the Washington University Symphony Orchestra. He served as Artistic and Music Director of the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra from 2021 to 2026 and as Music Director of the Gateway Festival Orchestra from 2019 to 2024. Previously, he spent twelve years as Artistic and Music Director of El Sistema Dominican Republic and served as Director of the National Conservatory of Music, advancing orchestral training, artistic development, and community outreach...
Media
“La Ciguapa” a new commissioned composition premieres in November
La Ciguapa is a legend, a mysterious woman from the Dominican Republic who cannot be captured or controlled, a vivid symbol of autonomy, freedom, and self-possession
Guest composer for the CMS Young Composers Competition in 2027
Each year the CMS Young Composers Competition features a new nationally known guest composer who is passionate about working with future generations of composers.
Darwin’s music premieres with the Interlochen Philharmonic Orchestra
An electrifying evening of orchestral color and global inspiration as the Interlochen Philharmonic takes the stage under the baton of Darwin Aquino.
A new piece inspired by Pablo Picasso’s Guernica
Imaginación Folklórica (2026) - for Guitar, Piano Accordion & Orchestra (My Folkloric Imagination) Darwin Aquino (DrwAq), composer & conductor Lydia Schmild, Piano Accordion Celso Cano, Guitar St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra Skip Viragh Center for the...
Conducting at the Center Stage Concert
As Head of Music of Opera Theater of Saint Louis, Darwin was part of the conducting team for the Center Stage Concert at the end of the 2026 Festival Season, on June 24th.
Member of the New Works Collective
Opera Theatre’s New Works Collective is a disruption of the traditional commissioning model: it gives decision-making power to the community through a collective of St. Louis residents.