Alondra de la Parra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alondra de la Parra
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Alondra de la Parra in 2014
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New York City
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| Occupation | Conductor |
| Years active | 1999–present |
Alondra de la Parra is a famous Mexican conductor. She was born in 1980. She is known for leading orchestras around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Alondra de la Parra was born in New York City. Her dad, Manelick de la Parra, was a writer. Her mom, Graciela Borja, studied how people live in groups. Alondra's grandmother was a writer named Yolanda Vargas Dulché. Her brother is Mane de la Parra.
When Alondra was three, her family moved to Mexico City. She started playing the piano when she was seven years old. At age 13, she began playing the cello. Around the same time, she became very interested in conducting music.
Studying Music in New York
When Alondra was 19, she moved back to New York City. She studied piano and conducting at the Manhattan School of Music. She earned a special degree in piano performance. She also studied conducting with great teachers like Michael Charry and Kenneth Kiesler.
She learned a lot from other famous conductors too. These included Marin Alsop, Charles Dutoit, and Kurt Masur.
Alondra's Conducting Career
In 2003, Alondra de la Parra started her own music group. It was called the Mexican-American Orchestra. She created it after the Mexican Consulate asked her to put on a concert. The concert was to feature Mexican music for a festival.
Leading the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas
Her orchestra grew to 65 members. In 2004, it was renamed the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (POA). The POA traveled and performed in Mexico in 2007.
Alondra and the POA also released two music albums. These were called Mi Alma Mexicana – My Mexican Soul and Travieso Carmesí. The orchestra stopped performing in 2011 because of money problems.
From 2012 to 2013, Alondra was the artistic director for the Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco.
Conducting in Australia and Spain
In 2015, Alondra de la Parra was a guest conductor for the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) in Australia. Later that year, the QSO announced something special. They chose Alondra to be their first-ever music director. She was also the first woman to hold a main conducting job with them. She led the QSO from 2017 to 2019.
In 2015, Alondra was one of five conductors in a film. The movie was called Conduct! Every Move Counts. It was about a big conducting competition.
In January 2024, Alondra was chosen for another important role. She became the new artistic director of the Orquesta y Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid in Spain. She started this job with their 2024-2025 music season.
Personal Life
Alondra de la Parra has two sons. Since 2019, she has lived in Berlin, Germany. She is also an official cultural ambassador for Mexico. This means she helps share Mexican culture with the world.
Awards and Recognitions
Alondra de la Parra has received many awards for her amazing work:
- Pablo Casals Award, Manhattan School of Music
- New York Women's Agenda – Rising Star of 2007
- 1010 WINS "Newsmakers of Tomorrow" Award – winner in the Arts and Entertainment category
- "Banda de Honor", a top honor for conductors from Venezuela
- El Micrófono de Oro Award, the highest prize from the Mexican Broadcasting Association
- Presser Merit Scholarship Award, Manhattan School of Music
- Luna Award, Auditorio Nacional México
- Poder Award, ABC Foundation and Poder magazine
- 2017 Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction – for "Olympic Suite" on ESPN Deportes
- 2018 Woman of the Year (Mexico)
- 2019 Mexican edition of Leading Ladies of Entertainment
See also
In Spanish: Alondra de la Parra para niños
