Gustavo Gimeno

Gustavo Gimeno begins his first year as Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in the unprecedented 2020/21 season. With his artistic dexterity and steadfast commitment to sharing extraordinary musical experiences, Maestro Gimeno is programming the season to adapt to the environment, including virtual performances and small concerts in community settings.

Known for his expansive artistic vision, intellectual curiosity, and sense of adventure, Gustavo Gimeno is driven by a passion for exploring how well-known classical works  contrast and illuminate repertoire across many genres and styles. He made his Canadian début with the TSO in February 2018, and returned in June 2019 to conduct the suite from Stravinsky’s celebrated ballet The Firebird. In October 2019, he then conducted Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé to critical acclaim, with the Toronto Star stating, “Gimeno revealed himself to be a focused, meticulous leader whose main goal was to let the composer’s ideas speak clearly…. The Toronto Symphony will be in sure artistic hands for the foreseeable future.” 

Gustavo Gimeno has been the Music Director of the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg (OPL) since 2015, appearing with the orchestra in many of the most prestigious concert halls throughout Europe. He is a much sought-after guest conductor worldwide, performing with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Washington, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Münchner Philharmoniker, and many more. He is in demand as a conductor of opera, with past appearances at Liceu Opera Barcelona (Verdi’s Aida), Zurich Opera (Verdi’s Rigoletto), and Valencia Opera House (Bellini’s Norma).

Since 2017, the OPL in collaboration with PENTATONE have released multiple recordings conducted by Gustavo including Gioachino Rossini’s Petit messe solennelle, and, most recently, César Franck’s Symphony in D Minor and Symphonic Variations.

Born in Valencia, Spain, Gustavo Gimeno began his international conducting career in 2012 as assistant to Mariss Jansons, while he was a member of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. He also gained invaluable experience as assistant to Bernard Haitink and Claudio Abbado, who strongly supported and influenced him in many respects as a mentor