People of Costa Rica

Three Young Costa Rican Conductors to Debut with the National Symphony Orchestra

The Benemérita National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica will hold two free concerts featuring three young Costa Rican conductors: Alejandro Acuña Moreira, Luissana Padilla Chinchilla, and Cristian González Kharina, as part of the “Young Conductors” program.

Luissana Padilla, Alejandro Acuña, and Cristian González will lead the OSNCR on April 24 and 25 in two free concerts in Heredia and Desamparados

The Benemérita National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica (OSNCR) will hold two free concerts featuring three young Costa Rican conductors: Alejandro Acuña Moreira, Luissana Padilla Chinchilla, and Cristian González Kharina.

The performances will take place on Thursday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m., at the San Rafael Arcángel Parish in San Rafael de Heredia, where the public will be able to attend free of charge. The second concert will be held on Friday, April 25, at the Unidad Pedagógica La Valencia in San Rafael Abajo de Desamparados, with the attendance of approximately 500 students.

For the three conductors, this will be their first time leading the OSNCR in a concert with a live audience. The musical program will include works by various composers such as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Bedřich Smetana, Alberto Ginastera, and Costa Rican composer Edín Solís.

“Conducting the OSN is a privilege that fills me with joy and responsibility. Being able to share ‘The Moldau’ and the ‘Estancia Suite’ is a great experience. I am grateful for the opportunity to be alongside this team of musicians, to experience the magic and dreams evoked by these musical landscapes,” said conductor Luissana Padilla.

The three conductors are professional musicians specialized in different instruments; in addition, they have studied orchestral conducting at the University of Costa Rica and have participated in various conducting projects with other national ensembles.

According to the National Music Center, the “Young Conductors” program, to which these two concerts belong, will continue in May 2025 with three additional musicians who will also make their debut conducting the OSNCR.