Enrico Lopez-Yañez is redefining what it means to be a conductor in the 21^st Century.

Celebrated for his charismatic stage presence, genre-defining collaborations, and passion for making orchestral music accessible to all, Lopez-Yañez is one of the most innovative and in-demand conductors in North America. He currently serves as Principal Pops Conductor for the Pacific and Detroit Symphonies, as well as Principal Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Presents and Principal Guest Conductor of Pops at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. He previously spent eight seasons conducting the Nashville Symphony, where he also served as their Principal Pops Conductor.

As a trailblazer in the symphonic world, Lopez-Yañez has premiered dozens of groundbreaking symphonic collaborations with artists including Dolly Parton, Kelsey Ballerini, Portugal. The Man, The Mavericks, Tituss Burgess, and The War and Treaty.

As a composer and arranger, Lopez-Yañez has versatility that is equally expansive. He has written for artists like Big Sean and Mariachi Los Camperos, and he has been commissioned by major orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Detroit Symphony, Houston Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, San Diego Symphony, and many more.

Highlights of the 2026–27 Season include performances with Aida Cuevas, Bernadette Peters, Better Than Ezra, Cody Fry, Idina Menzel, Mandy Gonzalez, Megan Hilty, Pepe Aguilar, and Wyclef Jean. He will make appearances with the New York Philharmonic and Grant Park Orchestra while returning to lead the Baltimore Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Houston Symphony, National Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Toronto Symphony, and Utah Symphony, among others.

Lopez-Yañez is also Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Symphonica Productions, LLC, a creative production company developing innovative Pops, Family, and Educational concerts for orchestras. Symphonica’s shows have been praised as “incredibly special – and something that needs to become the new norm” (Lima Symphony) and have been performed by the Baltimore, Milwaukee, North Carolina, Phoenix, Seattle, Toronto, and Utah Symphony, among others.

For more, visit: enricolopezyanez.com or follow @enricolopezyanez.

Renaissance woman Hélène Grimaud is not just a deeply passionate and committed musical artist whose pianistic accomplishments play a central role in her life. Her multiple talents extend far beyond the instrument she plays with such poetic expression and technical control. Grimaud has established herself as a wildlife conservationist, a human rights activist, and a writer; her deep dedication to her musical career is reflected in and amplified by the scope and depth of her environmental, literary, and artistic interests.

She has been an exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist since 2002 and her recordings have received prestigious accolades. Her discography includes acclaimed albums such as Credo, Reflection, and a Beethoven album with Staatskapelle Dresden. Her 2010 solo album Resonances and subsequent releases—including Duo with cellist Sol Gabetta and Memory (2018)—highlight her diverse musical range. Her latest project, For Clara (September 2023), revisits Robert Schumann’s Kreisleriana alongside Brahms’s Intermezzi and songs.

In the 2025–26 season, Hélène Grimaud brings her exceptional artistry to George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, performing this iconic work with prestigious orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, among others. Alongside these highlights, she embarks on a West Coast tour with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra performing Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto, while additional orchestral engagements underscore the rich breadth of her repertoire. Throughout the season, she continues to captivate audiences worldwide with solo recitals and chamber music performances.

Born in Aix-en-Provence in 1969, Grimaud entered the Paris Conservatoire at 13. In 1987, she gave her debut recital in Tokyo. That same year, conductor Daniel Barenboim invited her to perform with the Orchestre de Paris, marking the launch of her career, which has since been characterized by concerts with major orchestras and celebrated conductors worldwide.

Ender Thomas is a Venezuelan vocalist renowned for his powerful voice and dynamic stage presence. Born in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, he developed a passion for music at a young age, influenced by his Latin roots and the rich cultural traditions of his homeland. Ender’s vocal style is characterized by its emotional depth and versatility, allowing him to seamlessly blend genres such as Latin pop, rock, and world music.

He gained international recognition as one of the lead vocalists for Yanni’s “Yanni Voices” project, a collaboration that showcased his exceptional vocal talent to a global audience. His work with Yanni not only highlighted his ability to deliver passionate performances but also demonstrated his capacity to connect with diverse audiences through music.

Ender’s career is marked by collaborations with various artists, as well as his solo work, where he continues to explore new musical horizons. His performances are noted for their intensity and his ability to convey deep emotion, making him a standout figure in the world of Latin and world music. With a career that continues to evolve, Ender Thomas remains a captivating and influential voice in the music industry.

Jackie Mendez is a native Miami singer-songwriter and producer of Cuban and Lebanese decent. She started singing professionally at the young age of 17 when she was signed to Warner Brothers’ Electra Records her senior year of high school back in 2001. She began writing with the music industries’ top artists and songwriters as well as joining several world tours and special appearances throughout the years with artists like Ricky Martin, JLo, Alejandro Sanz, Juanes, Ricardo Montaner, and more recently on Camila Cabello’s “Tiny Desk” performance.

As an accredited artist with the Latin Grammy Recording Association, she has appeared on five Latin Grammy-winning albums singing along with Franco de Vita, Ricky Martin, David Bisbal, and Alejandro Sanz.

Jackie’s voice is a layered sound full of texture, rasp, and soul. She captures all the emotions in the world of funk, soul, rock, and pop.  You can find her music on all streaming platforms and is currently working on a new studio album.

José Sibaja is one of the most highly acclaimed Costa Rican trumpet players of his generation with worldwide audiences and broadcast media in the classical, Latin, jazz, and pop musical genres. His career ranges from international appearances as an orchestral soloist with Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfonica Venezuela, and Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Costa Rica to worldwide tours with Ricky Martin for the Vuelve and Living la Vida Loca tours. Currently, José plays lead trumpet with the world-renowned Boston Brass.

José received his musical training at the New World School of the Arts and the University of Miami. His vast musical repertoire and his masterful artistry make him a prominent figure in a new generation of musicians. He has held positions as principal trumpet with the Miami Symphony, Sinfonieta de Caracas, and Orquesta Sinfonica Venezuela, as well as a position with the Dallas Brass.

José’s talents are not limited to live audience performances, with televised performances on the American Music Awards, MTV Awards, Grammy Awards, and the Latin Grammy Awards shows as well as appearances on Conan O’Brian, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Today Show, Late Night with David Letterman, and numerous television appearances in more than 40 countries.

Having recorded with such artists as Ricky Martin, Alejandro Sanz, Luis Enrique, Rey Ruiz, Tito Nieves, Celia Cruz, and Gloria Estefan, among others, José Sibaja redefines the idea of a concert artist with a rich mix of stylistic genres surpassing the very stereotype of today’s classical musician. Most currently, Sibaja can be heard with the Boston Brass on their Rewired, Reminiscing, and Simple Gifts CDs, as well as his solo records, Inner Voice and Spanish Air.

Sibaja currently serves as a performing artist for the Yamaha Music Corporation, giving concerts, clinics, and master classes worldwide. Proclaimed internationally as “a major young talent, the next Wynton Marsalis,” José played his solo debut at age 17 with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and only five years of trumpet and music training.

José is Associate Professor of Trumpet for the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Luis Ernesto Quintero Vegas, known as Luisito Quintero, was born in the populous Caracas, Venezuela neighborhood of San Agustin. Quintero, a child musical prodigy, hails from a lineage of distinguished musicians and singers.

His father, Luis Quintero Sr., a respected percussionist in his native country, tutored and encouraged his son to play timbales at a young age. Quintero’s first steps into the professional music arena were performing in the group The New Generation, playing the bongos and timbales at only eight years old. This group was inspired by his father and his uncles, Carlos “Nene” Ricardo and Jesus “Chu” Quintero. At the age of 12, he played with one of the most popular bands at that time, El Trabuco Venezolano. A year later, he joined world-renowned salsa singer, Oscar D’León.

He remained with D’León for more than a decade until his departure to New York City in 1992. Quintero quickly integrated into the New York City Latin music and jazz scene. His reputation as one of the best percussionists garnered him opportunities to perform and record with legendary artists as well as serving as the musical director for some acts. He is a master percussionist who is not afraid to push the boundaries of his musical expressions and style, incorporating a variety of percussion instruments, including timbales, congas, bongos, drum sets, the West African djembe, dundun, and other percussion instruments.

Quintero brings technical wizardry and musicality to every performance and recording. He has participated in more than 700 musical productions spanning a variety of music genres and between Grammys and Latin Grammys, Quintero has more than 60 Grammy Awards to his credit. His most recent Grammys were in 2019 with Chick Corea and The Spanish Heart Band for the Best Latin Jazz Album and in 2018 with Spanish Harlem Orchestra for the Best Tropical Latin Album. In August 2020, Quintero released Tributo a la Dimensión Latina, the second production of his Grammy-nominated band Quintero’s Salsa Project, co-founded with his cousin, percussionist Roberto Quintero.