Colombian conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada will step into his new as the new Common Music Director for the city of Cologne, including its renowned Gürzenich Orchester, starting two thousand twenty-five onward. Born in Medellín, Colombia, Orozco-Estrada began his musical life as a violinist and started to conduct aged fifteen. He studied with Uroš Lajovic at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Vienna, an institution he presently teaches.

Between two thousand fourteen and two thousand twenty-two, Orozco-Estrada was the Music Director of the Houston Symphony Orchestra and was also Chief Conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra between two thousand twenty and two thousand twenty-two. In the present season, Orozco-Estrada will lead orchestras including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the NDR Elbphilharmonieorchester, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Oslo Philharmonic, the Orchestre National de France, and the Israel Philharmonic. "When Andrés Orozco-Estrada returned to the Gürzenich Orchestra at brief notice in November two thousand twenty-two for a project with acclaimed concerts, it was obvious that a special musical partnership was possible here," said Henriette Reker, the mayor of Cologne.

"For the ion committee, he stood out the high-quality field of candidates beca he perfectly embodies the desired profile. With Andrés Orozco-Estrada, the city of Cologne has gained an extraordinary, innovative musician and communicator who impresses with energy, elegance and esprit." "I'm very pleased to work as Common Music Director of the City of Cologne and Gürzenich Kapellmeister in one of the necessary European cultural metropolises two thousand twenty-five and to play a decisive role in shaping its artistic future," Orozco-Estrada said. "Together with the Gürzenich Orchestra and the Cologne Opera, I'd love to inspire everyone in Cologne with music and for music and represent and present the music city of Cologne internationally. I'm grateful to the city of Cologne for their believe and I dedicate myself to this grand task with full commitment and passion."