Conductor | Composer

Darwin Aquino

3

Season 2024-25

Conductor

  • Artistic & Music Director, St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Guest Conductor, Opera Southwest (L. Boccherinni “Clementina”)
  • Conductor, New Works Collective Opera Theater of St. Louis
  • Conducting Debut, National Symphony Orchestra of Panama
  • Guest Conductor, Interlochen Center for the Arts
  • Conductor-in-Residence, Washington University
  • Guest Conductor, World Chess Hall of Fame Music Series​

Composer

  • Commissioned Composer, Lux Nova Duo – “Dialogues V” Festival – Hamburg & Berlin, Germany (“Vom Imaginatio Folkloricus 3.5″ for Guitar, Piano Accordion & Chamber Ensemble)
  • Commissioned Composer, Arizona State University Clarinet Studio (“Responsabilidad” for Bass Clarinet)
  • Commissioned Composer, Laurel Zucker & Christine Gangelhoff (“Dos Danzas” for Flutes)
  • Guest Composer, Latin American Music Festival, Venezuela (“Responsabilidad” for Bass Clarinet)
  • Guest Composer, New Music Miami Festival (“En el Mejor Momento de mi Vida” for Solo Violoncello)
  • Guest Composer, Caribbean Composers Forum, Online (“Aee Mama Si Ee” for Solo Percussion)
  • Guest Composer, Ritmos y Raíces: Celebrating Latin American Music (“Perfume” for Mezzosoprano and Piano)

About Darwin

Known for his charismatic energy and musical versatility, Dominican conductor and composer Darwin Aquino has built a fast-rising career across the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Recognized for his smart and stylish conducting, Darwin regularly leads critically acclaimed performances of symphonic music, opera, operetta, ballet, new music, choral works, and Latin American music, worldwide….

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Upcoming Schedule 2024/2025

2024
  • World Premiere “Responsabilidad: A Paraphrased Merengue” for Bass Clarinet at Arizona State University / Commissioned Composer
    April 21
  • St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra / Artistic & Music Director
    April 24-26
  • Opera Theater of Saint Louis Festival Season / Cover Conductor
    April 28 – June 29
  • Interlochen Center for the Arts / Guest Conductor Interlochen Philharmonic Orchestra
    June 29 – July 14
  • National Symphony Orchestra of Panama / Guest Conductor
    July 16 – 26
  • St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra / Artistic & Music Director
    July 31 – August 2
  • World Premiere “Dos Danzas” for 2 Flutes at the National Flute Convention, San Antonio, Texas / Commissioned Composer
    August 1-4
  • Opera Theater of Saint Louis New Works Collective / Conductor
    Sept. 9-11
  • (Re)Discovering Julia Perry / Chamber Project St. Louis
    Sept. 26 – 28
  • St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra / Artistic & Music Director
    Oct. 2 – 4
  • Guest Composer – Ritmos y Raíces: Celebrating Latin American Music / “Perfume” for mezzosoprano and piano
    Oct 13 – Rider University, New Jersey, USA
  • World Premiere – Festival “Dialogues V”, Hamburg, Germany. “Vom Imaginatio Folkloricus 3.5” commissioned by the Lux Nova Duo
    Oct 17 – Instituto Cervantes
  • Latin American Premiere – Festival Latinoamericano de Musica, Caracas, Venezuela. “Responsabilidad: A Paraphrased Merengue” for Bass Clarinet solo
    Oct 24 – Centro de Acción Social por la Música
  • Washington University Symphony Orchestra / Conductor-in-Residence
    Nov. 3
  • World Premiere – Festival “Dialogues V”, Hamburg, Germany. “Vom Imaginatio Folkloricus 3.5” commissioned by the Lux Nova Duo
    Nov 9 – Resonanzraum
  • World Premiere – Festival “Dialogues V”, Hamburg, Germany. “Vom Imaginatio Folkloricus 3.5” commissioned by the Lux Nova Duo
    Nov 13 – Philharmonie Berlin
  • St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra / Artistic & Music Director
    Nov. 13-15
  • Opera Theater of Saint Louis New Works Collective / Conductor
    November 18-21
  • World Premiere – Festival “Dialogues V”, Madrid, Spain. “Vom Imaginatio Folkloricus 3.5” commissioned by the Lux Nova Duo
    Dec 2 – Nuevo Teatro Alcalá
  • St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra / Artistic & Music Director
    Dec. 4-6
2025
  • Opera Theater of Saint Louis New Works Collective / Conductor
    January 25 – Feb. 8
  • New Music Miami Festival / Guest Composer
    “En el Mejor Momento de Mi Vida” for solo cello
    February 5 – Jewish Museum of Florida
  • St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra / Artistic & Music Director
    Feb. 19-21
  • Washington University Symphony Orchestra / Conductor-in-Residence
    Feb. 23
  • Opera Southwest / L. Boccherinni “Clementina”
    March 17 – April 13
  • Washington University Symphony Orchestra / Conductor-in-Residence
    April 22
  • St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra / Artistic & Music Director
    April 22-25

Reviews

Opera Theater of Saint Louis – 2024 New Works Collective: "Conductor Darwin Aquino draws perfection from his orchestra. Magically they sound much larger."

 – Steve Callahan (Broadway World – St. Louis)

New stars are born at Opera Theatre’s New Works Collective: "Stage direction by Kimille Howard was perfection and Darwin Aquino led the orchestra in exceptional performances of three very different scores."

 – Chuck Lavazzi (KDHX)

"Darwin Aquino has earned a solid reputation for his energy and passion, and this concert highlighted his skills brilliantly. Additionally, Aquino has done yeoman’s work to highlight the contributions of Latin American composers, to the delight of the St. Louis community and beyond." Symphony Review: The Saint Louis Philharmonic delivers power and pathos on opening night

 – Gary Liam Scott (KDHX)

“Darwin Aquino, a former FGO Assistant Conductor, led a lively, fast-paced reading of Cimarosa’s elegant work. Benedetta Orsi and Aquino’s Spanish libretto works remarkably well with Cimarosa’s bubbly score. Many Spanish-speaking members of the audience found the adaptation amusing and entertaining” - D. Cimarosa “Il Matrimonio Segreto

– Laurence Budmen, South Florida Classical Review

“Conductor Darwin Aquino had the orchestra sounding great from the first measures of the overture and generally maintained a good balance between stage and pit. He has a fine feel for the nuances of the bel canto style, and knows to breathe with the singers”.

– Sarah Bryan Miller, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Mainz, Germany
“These extraordinary concerts had an enormous reception, which has risen the expectations to continuously program this international repertoire with the Mainz Philharmonic Orchestra”

– Mainzer Kultur

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Gallery

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Media

Seduction, Deception, Madness!: Conducting Giselle

Seduction, Deception, Madness!: Conducting Giselle

Oct 7, 2023 |

Chamber Music Society of Saint Louis, under the baton of Darwin Aquino, will accompany the dancers with the score composed by Adolphe Adam. The Saint Louis Post-Dispatch in 2019 called their playing “instrumental brilliance”. Many are members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

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Catch Darwin on Classic 107.3 FM

Jul 14, 2023 |

Kathy Lawton Brown of Classic 107.3 interviewed Music Director Darwin Aquino and Guest Conductor Leon Burke III. Part 2 of the interview has Maestro Aquino describing the program to be performed Sunday, July 16 at 7:30pm at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. All concerts are free to attend!

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