This music director comes with an MBA
OrchestrasIntroducing North Carolina Symphony’s new baton, Carlos Miguel Prieto, the local News and Observer asked about his education.
Turns out he majored in electrical engineering at Princeton University and got an MBA at Harvard. He was working for Pepsi Foods International in Mexico City when he had what he calls a “vocational crisis” and realized conducting was his calling.
Overqualified?
He’s a super conductor with a very engaging personality- perfect for audiences and orchestral players alike.
Pepsi? That doesn’t sound overqualified at all!
North Carolina hired an MBA as music director and Chicago hired an MD as principal horn, shows what ails each organization the most: the health of the finances in North Carolina, and the health of the geriatric brass section and conductor emeritus “for life” in Chicago.
Thank goodness no orchestra has yet hired a musician with a Ph.D in mortuary science.
This is not meant to sound “confronational,” but is there any factual, as opposed to imagined or assumed, basis for your conclusions that (1) the North Carolina Symphony is in financial trouble and (2) that’s the reason they hired a conductor whose past includes a business degree?
I doubt that orchestras hired Giuseppe Sinopoli because they needed a psychiatrist, Daniel Harding because they needed a air pilot . . . and so on with a lot of other people whose university studies began in other fields before they felt a calling to music.
Your comment displays a deep ignorance and arrogance! There is such a thing as multi talent, which is not seen so much in musician’s circles because most have spent their lives doing nothing but practice their instrument! There are many avocational players who are quite good at their music as well as in other areas.
His MBA, and the marketing skills that come with it, serves him well to promote himself (with the help of his important family wealth), but does not help him as a musician, for which he is clearly under-qualified. He is a nice gentleman, but definitely not the best musician and conductor.
…”with the help of his important family wealth”… and “He is a nice gentleman, but definitely not the best musician and conductor.”
I wish I could disagree. But he really is a wonderful person, comes from one of Mexico’s wealthiest families, and really shouldn’t be conducting, especially orchestas of the level of London, San Francisco, and Detroit. The videos of him with Frankfurt are quite revealing. But I do wish him and North Carolina the best.
…yet, they do invite him to conduct! He cannot be worse than Barenboim in the last 8 years!
I’m sorry, but they don’t invite him (or Alondra) to conduct. His engagements are generally arranged by other means. Barenboim is a conductor and serious musician. Maestro Prieto and Maestra Alondra love music like all of us. They have found ways of being able to participate in the classical music world, frequently in important musical centers. But there is no real musical reason why they should be involved in the same musical world as Barenboim. They really aren’t conductors, and only average musicians.
Based on what I have seen online, is not bad, not the best, but not the worse… actually, I have seen a lot worse in conductors a lot more “famous”!
It is interesting how both of Mexico’s most international conductors (de la Parra and Prieto) come from very wealthy families, both are regarded as “not good conductors” and as being nice persons.
There are plenty good but not nice to go around. And when has wealth ever been an obstacle? It is mostly mentioned by the envious …
From being involved with a search for a similar level group: The problem with an orchestra in NC’s position (a well paying full time group with no widespread artistic reputation) is that you either have to catch a rising star (which is not easy and can go horribly wrong if that person doesn’t develop as expected) or land a veteran for whom this will likely be their highest music directorship.
Or throw wads of cash at someone.
I worked with him several times in the early 2000s and was the person who recommended him to the Louisiana Philharmonic. Wonderful conductor, wonderful person.
Come to think of it, I was also the guy who recommended Grant Llewelyn – his predecessor – to the North Carolina Symphony.
I am unsurprised that someone without a conducting degree is a capable conductor.
“…he had what he calls a “vocational crisis” and realized conducting was his calling.”
I presume this is a condensed account and that there was some continuing musical activity before the “I’m selling sugar water!” epiphany hit him.
Perhaps a music blogger might report on that.
He’s so intelligent he made tons of money while he was director of the Orquesta Sinfônica Nacional de Mexico anssigning outrageous fees – for a third or fifth rate orchestra- to his friend musicians, who coincidentally all happened to be represented by his agencies.
https://www.excelsior.com.mx/expresiones/pagan-millones-a-solistas-y-directores-huespedes-de-la-orquesta-sinfonica-nacional?amp
Be careful North Carolina Symphony!!!
Sounds a bit envious….
Wow these comments are so ignorant. Admittedly, the ignorant blurb about Carlos didn’t help. He has had an amazing international career as a musician and conductor. He has received more accolades and awards than this forum would allow me to list. He is sought after all over the world and NC is lucky to have him. I am a professional orchestra player myself, and had the thrill and honor of working with Carlos for several years at one of his prior posi. His goal is to bring the passion back to the symphony stage, and working with him was one of the highlights of my career.
The answer is very simple. His ‘vocational call’, or great talent is proportional to his family’s wealth. He could have become anything – a scuba diver – and still be considered a ‘genius’
Let’s be serious!
I’m not a musician and don’t know music I’m just a fan if you will. I’ve seen Carlos Prieto conduct and his gestures, hand and body movements don’t exactly look like those of a wise conductor but someone who is about to have a seizure. Let’s face it with his family’s wealth combined with his wife family’s he could buy the Berliner Philarmorniker a 1000 times and that still would’t make him a decent conductor/musician.
I’ve worked with him several times over the past few years in Bilbao (BOS). He brings a breath of fresh air and fun as a guest conductor, and always arrives well prepared. Hopefully he will be an asset to North Carolina.