Conductor and violinist Alejandro Gómez Guillén approaches music as a space for discovery, collaboration, and storytelling. As Director of Orchestras at Arizona State University—home to one of the nation’s leading orchestral programs and the largest public university in the United States—he guides a vibrant community of emerging artists and educators. Alejandro also serves as Music Director of Sphere Ensemble, a string collective known for its adventurous programming and genre-crossing commissions, including a recent world premiere by GRAMMY-nominated composer Carter Pann.

Previously, Alejandro spent two seasons as Assistant Conductor of the Omaha Symphony, participating in the Grammy-nominated premiere of Andy Akiho’s Sculptures, and seven seasons as Artistic Director of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, where he conducted the Indiana premiere of Florence Price’s Fourth Symphony and the world premiere of Mickey Tucker’s Spiritual Collage. During his tenure as Associate Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony, he led community, pops, educational, and bilingual programs, collaborating with artists such as Time for Three and mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte.

As a guest conductor, Alejandro has worked with orchestras across the U.S. and abroad, with upcoming engagements including the Orlando Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, West Texas Symphony, Tulsa’s Signature Symphony, and Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá. Highlights include performances at the Oregon Bach Festival, in works like the B Minor Mass and St. John Passion, and collaborations with renowned conductors such as Ankush Kumar Bahl, Tito Muñóz, Eric Jacobsen, Robert Spano, and Ruth Reinhardt.

Alejandro combines artistry with education, having led the Omaha Symphony’s acclaimed community and education programs, reaching 25,000 students annually. He was previously Assistant Professor of Music at Colorado Mesa University, where he taught violin, viola, and conducting while leading the university’s orchestras. Additional roles include Music Director of the Colorado Youth Philharmonia, conducting youth and collegiate orchestras, and leading historical performance projects as a violinist and conductor.

As a violinist, Alejandro has served as concertmaster with the Grand Junction Symphony and Junges Stuttgarter Bach Ensemble, performing across Europe at venues like the Rheingau Music Festival and Berlin Philharmonie. He was a returning member of the Oregon Bach Festival’s Berwick Academy for Historical Performance and plays in Duo Anthracite and Chaski Quartet with his wife, Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Cranor.

Born in Colombia and a proud U.S. citizen, Alejandro holds a Bachelor’s degree in violin performance from Texas Christian University and Master’s and Doctoral degrees in conducting and violin from the University of Colorado at Boulder. His research includes a critical edition of Jorge Pinzón’s violin concerto and a guide to using Bach’s orchestral dances for modern developing orchestras. His mentors include Gary Lewis, Helmuth Rilling, Mei-Ann Chen, and Matthew Halls.

When away from the stage, Alejandro can be found trail running, singing, or reveling in a Bach fugue—often with his family and a soundtrack by Ella, Nils Frahm, or Punch Brothers.

@alejandromusick