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Gabriela Garza Canales (left), Lorenzo Guggenheim (center) and Mario Alejandro Torres (right). Standing on stageright before the Campus Philharmonia Winter Quarter Concert at Meany Theatre, begins. (photo: Kevin Li)
In the greenroom of Meany Hall, conducting students Gabriela Garza Canales, Lorenzo Guggenheim, and Mario Torres sat in a moment of respite from the preparation for their upcoming concerts. Their bond is clear at first glance.
Guggenheim is one of the three UW students pursuing a degree in Orchestral Conducting under the mentorship of Dr. David Rahbee, the UW Director of Orchestral Activities, and Ludovic Morlot, the Music Director of the Seattle Symphony. This sense of family is not uncommon among studios, Guggenheim said, but it’s a credit to the group that this program has assembled.
“I think it’s special here,” Guggenheim said.
The UW’s conducting program allows its students to gain practical experience in front of an orchestra, while also supporting the university’s Campus Philharmonia Orchestras.
For these three students, the appeal of the program originally manifested in different forms.