Juanjo Mena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juanjo Mena
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Juan José Mena
21 September 1965 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
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| Occupation | conductor |
| Years active | 1997–present |
Juanjo Mena (born September 21, 1965) is a talented Spanish conductor. He is known for leading orchestras around the world. In early 2025, Juanjo Mena shared that he had been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. Despite this, he has continued to conduct, showing his strong dedication to music. For example, in June 2025, he performed at the Granada Festival. This concert celebrated 100 years of a special version of the famous Spanish ballet, El Amor Brujo.
Contents
Juanjo Mena's Musical Journey
Early Life and Education
Juanjo Mena was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, a city in the Basque Country, Spain. He started his music studies there at the Vitoria-Gasteiz Conservatory. Later, he went to the Madrid Royal Conservatory. Here, he learned from important teachers like Carmelo Bernaola for composition and Enrique García Asensio for conducting. He also had the chance to study conducting with Sergiu Celibidache in Munich.
Starting His Career
In 1997, the Basque Government chose Mena to create the Youth Orchestra of Euskal Herria. This was a big step in his career. After that, he became an associate conductor for the Euskadi Symphony Orchestra.
From 1999 to 2008, Mena was the main artistic director and conductor of the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra. His first time conducting in North America was with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 2004. He also served as a principal guest conductor at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, Italy, from 2007 to 2010. From 2007 to 2013, he was the principal guest conductor for the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
Leading the BBC Philharmonic
In July 2010, the BBC Philharmonic announced that Juanjo Mena would be their new chief conductor. He officially started this role in the 2011–2012 season. He had already conducted the BBC Philharmonic several times before this important appointment. In 2013, he extended his contract with them for three more years. He finished his time as chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic in the summer of 2018.
Other Important Roles
In 2016, the Orquesta Nacional de España named Mena as their new 'Director Asociado', which means principal guest conductor. In October 2016, the Cincinnati May Festival in the United States also announced him as their new principal conductor. He started this role in the 2017–2018 season and continued until 2023.
Juanjo Mena's Family
Juanjo Mena has a younger brother named Carlos Mena, who is also a musician. Carlos is a countertenor, a type of male singer. Juanjo Mena is married to Noemi, and they have two children together.
Awards and Recognitions
Juanjo Mena has received several important awards for his work:
- Premio Nacional de Música, 2016 (National Music Award)
- Medalla de Oro de Álava, 2017 (Gold Medal of Álava)
Recordings
Juanjo Mena has made many recordings of classical music. With the Bilbao orchestra, he recorded music by composers like Jesús Guridi and Andrés Isasi for Naxos Records. He and the BBC Philharmonic have also recorded music by Gabriel Pierné, Manuel de Falla, and Xavier Montsalvatge for Chandos.
See also
In Spanish: Juanjo Mena para niños
