Andrés Orozco-Estrada Electrifies San Francisco Symphony

Conductor's bold, high-energy performance raises questions about his potential as music director

Mar. 21, 2026 at 7:34pm by Ben Kaplan

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Colombian-born conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada led the San Francisco Symphony in a series of weekend performances, delivering an electrifying and invigorating concert that showcased his chemistry with the orchestra. Despite his packed schedule as music director of the Swedish Radio Symphony, general music director of the city of Cologne, and principal conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica Nationale della RAI in Turin, Italy, Orozco-Estrada's dynamic conducting style and audience-engaging presence have made him a potential contender for the Symphony's music director position, left vacant by Esa-Pekka Salonen's departure last summer.

Why it matters

Orozco-Estrada's visit to the San Francisco Symphony comes at a critical time, as the orchestra searches for a new music director. His bold, high-energy conducting style and ability to connect with the orchestra and audience have raised questions about his potential fit for the role, even though his busy schedule elsewhere may make him an unlikely candidate.

The details

Orozco-Estrada led the orchestra through a program that included the Overture to Weber's opera 'Euryanthe', Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 9 with soloist Jan Lisiecki, and Dvořák's Symphony No. 7. His conducting was marked by sweeping gestures, punching the air, and leaning in to draw out the music, conveying a youthful vigor. While there were some issues with precision and balance, the overall performances were deeply unified and invigorating, with the brass, woodwinds, and strings playing with a cohesive, symphonic sound.

  • Orozco-Estrada led the San Francisco Symphony in performances on Friday, March 19, and the weekend of March 21-22, 2026.
  • Esa-Pekka Salonen departed as the San Francisco Symphony's music director in the summer of 2025.

The players

Andrés Orozco-Estrada

A Colombian-born conductor who is currently the music director of the Swedish Radio Symphony, general music director of the city of Cologne, and principal conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica Nationale della RAI in Turin, Italy.

Jan Lisiecki

A pianist who was the soloist in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 9 during Orozco-Estrada's performances with the San Francisco Symphony.

Esa-Pekka Salonen

The former music director of the San Francisco Symphony, who departed the position in the summer of 2025.

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What they’re saying

“Maybe it didn't go so well?”

— Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Conductor

What’s next

The San Francisco Symphony will continue its search for a new music director, with Orozco-Estrada's recent performances raising his profile as a potential candidate, despite his busy schedule elsewhere.

The takeaway

Orozco-Estrada's dynamic and engaging conducting style has left a strong impression on the San Francisco Symphony and its audience, even as the orchestra's search for a new music director continues. His ability to connect with the orchestra and deliver high-energy, cohesive performances has made him a contender to watch, despite the challenges posed by his other commitments.