Carlos Miguel Prieto
Conductor
SELECT PRESS ACCLAIM
Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Silvestre Rivueltas, Alberto Ginastera, Saint-Saens
―Prieto and the orchestra entered fully into the supercharged energy of the music, making as much of its
tender lyricism as they did of its convulsive rhythms and clashing tonalities.
Prieto's reading was effective enough to make one regret there wasn't enough room on the program to
play more than 12 minutes of music from the complete score.‖
- Chicago Tribune
―Guest conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto bounced along with the beat, his arms down, trusting the
percussionists — who sometimes improvised — to find their own way through the tangle of overlapping
rhythms. The audience bobbed in their seats, tapping a finger here, a toe there with the urgent
syncopations that often clashed and shifted abruptly like tectonic plates. There was a moment of stunned
silence after the final, frenzied chords and then storms of applause.
The concert opened with something more subdued but still powerful, a suite from ―Panambi‖…Prieto
shaped its sumptuous reveries with a sure yet light hand…Even the final movement’s dissonant clamor
had a strong sense of melodic line and forward momentum.‖
- Chicago Sun Times
―The concert at Symphony Center showcased the leadership of Mexican-born Carlos Miguel Prieto, who
has much of this music in his genes and showed the ability to draw idiomatic performances out of the
stylistically flexible CSO.
…it would be a service as well as a delight for the CSO and Prieto to record [the Panambi Suite]
complete. Certainly one would never hear a better performance of this gorgeous music.‖
- Chicago Classical Review
Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra / Copland, Ravel, Gershwin, Shostakovich
―The Frankfurt public welcomed this colorfully rich work [Copland El Salón México] with the utmost
appreciation. With Shostakovich Symphony No. 6, the second part of the concert illustrated Prieto’s
mastery… even in the greatest climaxes of sound, he draws clear lines, extracts structures and controls
dynamics brilliantly.‖
- Rhein-Main-Zeitung
―Conductor Prieto had the orchestra wonderfully prepared in a way that made it possible to perceive, in
particular, the many sound contrasts as well as the rhythmic subtleties in the second and third movement
[of Shostakovich Symphony No. 6].‖
-Frankfurter Neue Presse
Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra / Blanchard, Glass, Bernstein
―We attended a concert Saturday night in New Orleans of the Louisiana Philharmonic, and it was terrific.
The orchestra sounded wonderful, conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto was electric, and the house was
packed. There were encores, standing ovations, and even an audience member who mamboed
spontaneously (this is New Orleans, after all).‖
- Huffington Post
Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra/ Mahler, Jiping
“At the podium, Carlos Miguel Prieto took plenty of risks, too, as he extended the LPO's string of
winning Mahler performances. For starters, he made sure that one could hear every nuance of Mahler's
rich orchestration and exposed instrumental solos …. …And, really, kudos go to the entire ensemble and
to Prieto, who held to the thread of Mahler's vision in a work that sprawls over six movements, with a
Shakespearian disregard for the niceties of classical form.‖
- The Times Picayune
Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra / Respighi, Handel, Beethoven
―… the LPO performed two of the richest works in the repertoire: Respighi's "Fountains of Rome" and
"Roman Festivals." At the podium, music director Carlos Miguel Prieto brought these complex orchestral
tapestries into sharp focus -- underscoring the evocative, near-visual imagery that sometimes makes them
sound like film scores. His timing was perfect as he cued theatrical flourishes that included a small brass
choir playing from the back of the hall. Prieto also conjured a translucent, uncluttered sound from the
orchestra, framing delightful solos from a host of principals‖
- The Times Picayune
Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra / Schumann, Bernstein, Stravinsky
―Yo-Yo Ma’s rapport with the orchestra seemed telepathic and for that, credit also goes to Maestro Carlos
Miguel Prieto, who conjured a detailed but unfussy performance [of Schumann’s Cello Concerto] from
the LPO. Gently blowing dust from this familiar orchestral vehicle, Prieto made it sound like a piece of
chamber music, capturing the sudden mood shifts and neurotic intensity of Schumann’s masterpiece…
For Leonard Bernstein’s ―Chichester Psalms,‖ a well-drilled Symphony Chorus joined the LPO – and
made one wonder why this splendidly clangorous, exotic-sounding devotional work isn’t performed more
often. It’s a killer score, one that showcases Bernstein’s melodic gifts and his passion for the metrical
shifts and dissonant harmonies of Stravinsky. To perform it without stumbles is an accomplishment. To
perform it, as the LPO and Symphony Chorus did, is another signal of the golden musical age under
Prieto.‖
- The Times-Picayune
Toronto Symphony Orchestra / de Falla, Stravinsky / Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto
―You can thank visiting conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto for this evening of musical verve….Prieto took
over the podium with confidence, shaping rhythmically pointed and gorgeously colored interpretation of
two ballet classics: the second suite from Manuel de Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat, from 1919, and Igor
Stravinsky’s 1947 revision of his 1911 work, Petrouchka... This is as engaging as concerts get.‖
- Toronto Star (Canada)
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra / Revueltas, Rachmaninov, Schumann
―Prieto's take is one of brisk tempos and artfully crafted phrases. He uses reserved dynamics, unleashing
true fortissimo sounds sparingly, with great effect. He and the players translated this view into an
impassioned, nuanced performance. They brought out details of the piece's architecture and lovely inner
voices and created tantalizingly long crescendos spanning multiple phrases… Prieto and the players gave
the piece [Revueltas] the same sort of intense, focused reading they brought to the rest of the evening's
program.‖Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 2008
Boston Symphony Orchestra / Albeniz, Lalo, Rachmaninov / Tanglewood Music Center
―Mexican conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto, who was making his first Boston Symphony Orchestra
appearance…offered the cellist [Yo-Yo Ma] strong and flexible support. …The Lalo [Cello Concerto in
D] was the middle course of Prieto’s promising debut. He led off with four selections from ―Iberia,‖ Isaac
Albeniz’s collection of piano pieces, in sumptuous arrangements by violinist and conductor Enrique
Fernandez Arbos. The orchestrations clothed Alberniz’s smoldering rhythms in layers of exotic color…
Prieto led it [Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances] with a clear, strong beat and tightly controlled gestures,
though he also gave the music breathing space when needed… Prieto guided the orchestra with a steady
sense of its winding architecture, and brought it to an exciting close.‖
- Boston Globe
Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Mexico
"Carlos Miguel Prieto has demonstrated through his meteoric career that he is an extremely charismatic
leader born with a natural musicianship which transmits an immense joy of music making."
- Reforma (Mexico City)
"His performance of Turangalila was, if not the musical event of the year, certainly the most important…
it was bursting with emotion, vitality, energy and enjoyment.‖
- El Economista (Mexico City)
"The finest Mexican conductor of his generation…led an extremely rewarding concert of five world
premieres which was extremely well received by the public."
- La Jornada (Mexico
City)
―From the podium, Carlos Miguel Prieto untangled, constructed and guided the Schnittke Concerto with
excellent musical sense and a sure ear to balance and clarify the various textures which can prove
fiendishly difficult… superb performance.‖
- Reforma (Mexico City)
Prieto likes taking musical risks, as a result of which we were able to listen to a virtually unsurpassable
version of Metaboles (Dutilleux), and a truly unforgettable version of Bartok's Music for Strings,
Percussion and Celesta. Equally impressive was his performance of the 1911 version of Petrushka and his
beautiful rendering of La Valse, which drew a standing ovation from all those present…Carlos Miguel
Prieto left an indelible impression through these ten works distributed between three highly memorable
programs."
- Claridades Journal (Mexico City)
Kansas City Symphony/Prokofiev, Revueltas, Rodrigo
―In a season that has already delivered impressive moments, the Kansas City Symphony’s reading of
Prokofiev’s ―Romeo and Juliet‖ on Friday may well be the highlight. With the leadership of guest
conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto, the musicians had fire in their bellies, playing with concerted aggression
that overawed the audience. A subdued crowd left Helzberg Hall, still a bit taken aback by not only the
power displayed in the performance but the breathless sustain and decay of the end, indicating Juliet’s
death.
―It was an evocative program throughout. Prieto, music director of both Louisiana Philharmonic and the
Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Mexico, brought a demanding energy to the podium. A range of fullbodied gestures projected the works’ vast contrasts, from shrugs to grand, sweeping movements, shuffling
steps to emphatically pounding the air with fists. It was impressive.‖
- The Kansas City Star
Santa Barbara Symphony/da Falla, Bizet, Moncayo, Daugherty
―…a tantalizing and cohesive, yet also diverse musical foray into Spanish music (Manuel da Falla),
"Spanish-esque" music (George Bizet's "Carmen Suite"), Mexican music (Jose Pablo Moncayo) and
"Mexican-esque music," by acclaimed American composer, Michael Daugherty, channeling the influence
of Mexican artist Diego Rivera.Needless to say, a lot of inspired cultural border-crossing took place on
this program, all for the good.
―… the program opened with a rousing take on "Three Dances" from Falla's spicy fine "Three-Cornered
Hat," while the second half opened with the ever-popular musical domain of Bizet's "Carmen Suite," as
compacted into "The Carmen Ballet for strings and percussion," arranged and reshuffled by Russian
composer Rodion Shchedrin. In both cases, maestro Prieto coaxed a hale and precision-geared ensemble
sound from the orchestra.‖
- Santa Barbara News-Press
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra/Vivaldi, de Falla, Haydn
―Prieto won the audience over from the concert’s start. Unexpectedly, he swung around to introduce the
opening piece, Manuel de Falla’s ―El Amor Brujo.‖ His humor and passion for the piece magnified its
built-in excitement. This is a vivacious piece, involving Gypsies, folk rhythms and the famous ―Ritual
Fire Dance.‖
-TheBuffaloNews.com
Naples Philharmonic Orchestra/Shostakovich, Chopin
―Shostakovich will never have his themes picked up for a Walt Disney musical. That doesn't mean he
hasn't created some energizing, and engaging, music. His Symphony No. 5 is its model.
… Prieto and the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra teamed on a performance that was by turns sensitive,
spirited, urgent and giddy Thursday at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts. In fact, it left more of an
impression than the first-half Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2, which was a technically flawless
presentation.‖
- Naples Daily News