Cristian Măcelaru

Cristian Măcelaru is a GRAMMY® Award-winning conductor widely admired for a rare fusion of interpretive rigor, emotional intelligence, and generosity of spirit. He is Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestre National de France, Artistic Director of the George Enescu Festival and Competition, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Interlochen Center for the Arts’ World Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Music Director and Conductor of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. He also serves as Distinguished Visiting Artist at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and as Artistic Partner of the WDR Sinfonieorchester in Cologne, where he previously served as Chief Conductor.

Highly sought after as a guest conductor, Măcelaru has appeared with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Staatskapelle Berlin, Dresden Staatskapelle, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Wiener Symphoniker, New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. His operatic work includes acclaimed productions at major houses such as Houston Grand Opera and Opera Națională București.

A passionate advocate for contemporary music, he has commissioned and premiered works by more than 50 composers, including Wynton Marsalis, Tan Dun, Gabriela Lena Frank, Jennifer Higdon, Jake Heggie, Nico Muhly, Sean Shepherd, and Gabriella Smith.

Măcelaru received a GRAMMY® Award for his Decca Classics recording of Marsalis’s Violin Concerto with Nicola Benedetti and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and has earned numerous international honors for his vast discography on labels including Deutsche Grammophon, Warner Classics, Naïve Records, and Linn Records.

Măcelaru embodies an artistic mission prizing education, accessibility, and audience connection. His work with young musicians spans conducting masterclasses, composer workshops, and mentorship programs across Europe and North America. Through his leadership at major festivals and institutions, he has also advanced initiatives supporting diversity, equity, and well-being.