Alejandro Cantalapiedra (1994) initially studied architecture in Madrid, but decided to follow his heart and pursue orchestral conducting. This decision first led him to teachers such as Juan María Esteban del Pozo and Miguel Romea, and later to Rotterdam, where he studied at Codarts with Sander Teepen, Hans Leenders and Wiecher Mandemakers. He also attended masterclasses with conductors such as Antony Hermus and Karel Deseure.

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Alejandro is currently making a name for himself both nationally and internationally. In recent seasons he has conducted, among others, Sinfonia Varsovia, the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Residentie Orchestra, the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, the Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias, Het Ballet Orkest and the Varna Symphony Orchestra.

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In 2022 he made his debut at the Concertgebouw with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and Toonkunstkoor Amsterdam. From 2023 to 2025 he served as assistant conductor of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and De Nationale Opera (chief conductor Lorenzo Viotti). Click here for a wonderful interview with Alejandro about this assistantship. He has also been assistant to Vasily Petrenko and Patrick Hahn at the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Cornelius Meister at the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and to conductors such as Hartmut Haenchen, Sir Mark Elder and Marc Albrecht.

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This season Alejandro holds assistantships with the Nationale Reisopera and the Teatro Real in Madrid.

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Alejandro won First Prize at the International Conducting Competition of Estoril and will appear in the semi-finals of the Geneva Conducting Competition in November.

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With a distinctive vision on musical structure, charisma and craftsmanship, he brings a unique colour to the great symphonic repertoire. Since June 2024 he has been chief conductor of the Rijnmond Symphony Orchestra, where, with infectious energy, musical imagination and humour, he reaches out to musicians and audiences alike.