Hailing from Colombia, Diego Garcia is a globally sought-after conductor, cellist, and educator who works with the most respected conservatories and universities such as Juilliard School, Mannes School of Music, and Eastman School of Music. Diego is thrilled to be starting a new position this fall as Cello Faculty/Guest Conductor at the Steinhardt School of Music at NYU. Diego’s approach to music-making is full of dynamic passion, humor, and a strong sense of collaboration. As a conductor, he has shared the stage with prominent artists such as Joshua Bell, Sharon Isbin, Anthony McGill, Philippe Quint, Julian Schwartz, Steven Masi, and Naomi O’Connell. He has conducted and performed in major venues including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Kennedy Center, Metropolitan Museum, and Vienna’s Rathauseplatz Concert Series. Diego has made appearances with contemporary artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Harry Connick Jr, and Jennifer Lopez. His first album as cellist and arranger was praised by All About Jazz: “… Diego perform[s] intricate counterpoint that enhances the overall beauty of the whole without being obtrusive, also playing arresting lead parts.”
A strong advocate for the transformative powers of music, Diego strives to help students tap into their creative potential as young artists and professionals. Diego is Music Director of Orchestras at the Dwight-Englewood School and the Thurnauer School of Music. He was most recently Lead String Director for Summer Performing Arts with Juilliard in Geneva, Switzerland. In the spring of 2019, Diego joined the conducting faculty of the Mannes School of Music Pre-College Division, and was previously the Music Director of the Eastman Youth Chamber Soloists. Diego is a frequent guest conductor at different festivals and workshops in the United States, South America, and Europe, including Parnu Symphony Orchestra (Estonia), Flanders Music Festival (Belgium), Hampton Roads Chamber Players, Traveling Notes Orchestra, Bard College Symphony Orchestra and the Greece Symphony. Diego has also served as Music Director of the Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra (New York) for several seasons, where he organized ongoing collaborations with the Ithaca Ballet.
An avid chamber musician, Diego was a founding member of a new music ensemble called “Gibbs & Main,” a group that regularly commissioned works from new composers and presented interactive children’s concerts in formal and community venues. Diego’s performances as soloist and chamber musician have been featured on NPR’s “Live from Hochstein”, WXXI-FM 91.5’s Backstage Pass, as well as broadcasts for Music for Montauk, the Eastman School of Music’s Washington Square Concert Series, and at the Spotlight Series, Keuka on the Lake.
