Carlos Miguel Prieto began his tenure as music director of the North Carolina Symphony at the beginning of the 2023–24 season, and was previously music director of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México and the Louisiana Philharmonic, where he helped lead the cultural renewal of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. In 2008 he was appointed music director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería, which he led to a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Classical Album.

Recent highlights include engagements with the Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, London Philharmonic, NDR Elbphilharmonie, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Hallé Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Spanish National Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Strasbourg Philharmonic, and Auckland Philharmonia. He made his BBC Proms debut at Royal Albert Hall last year, and made his San Francisco Symphony debut in November 2022.

Born in Mexico, Mr. Prieto is renowned for championing Latin American music as well as his dedication to new music. He has conducted more than 100 world premieres of works by Mexican and American composers, many of which were commissioned by him. He places equal importance on championing works by Black and African American composers including Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, and Courtney Bryan, among others.

Mr. Prieto has an extensive discography on Deutsche Grammophon, Naxos, and Sony. He was recognized by Musical America as the 2019 Conductor of the Year, and graduated from Princeton and Harvard.

Venezuelan trumpeter Pacho Flores is a first-prize winner at the Maurice André International Trumpet Competition, Philip Jones International Competition, and Cittá di Porcia International contest, in addition to being awarded a gold medal by the Global Music Awards for his album Entropía. His most recent recording for Deutsche Grammophon, Estirpe, was nominated in three categories at the Latin Grammy Awards.

Recent highlights include a Hollywood Bowl debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel, a season-long residency with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and solo appearances with the Minnesota Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, NHK Symphony, and Simón Bolívar Symphony. He made his San Francisco Symphony debut in November 2022.

Trained in the El Sistema music education program in Venezuela, Flores is a founding member of the Simón Bolívar Brass Quintet and former principal trumpet of the Simón Bolívar Symphony. He is dedicated to fostering the next generation of trumpet players and is founding director of the Latin-American Trumpet Academy in Venezuela. He is a Stomvi artist, performing exclusively on trumpets that have been developed and built for his performances, and records exclusively for Deutsche Grammophon.
 

Héctor Molina is a Venezuelan composer and cuatro player. He has worked with musicians Cecilia Todd, Gualberto Ibarreto, Serenata Guayanesa, Gustavo Dudamel, Oscar D’León, Carlos Vives, Guaco, Rafael “Pollo” Brito, Marta Gómez, Aquiles Báez, Cheo Hurtado, and Ilan Chester, along with the Mérida State Symphony, Simón Bolívar Symphony, Caracas Municipal Orchestra, Venezuela Symphony, Carabobo Symphony, and Utah Symphony. He is a member of the chamber group Multifonía and the C4 Trio, and is a founding member of the Venezuelan ensemble Los Sinvergüenzas, with whom he has released multiple albums. Molina earned a bachelor of music in composition from the National Experimental University of the Arts in Venezuela and also studied at the University of the Andes in Mérida. With the C4 Trio, he has won multiple Pepsi Venezuela Music Awards and been nominated for a Latin Grammy. He makes his San Francisco Symphony debut with this performance.