Pablo González joins MA roster
We are delighted to welcome Spanish conductor Pablo González to the Maestro Arts roster. His most recent appointment was as Principal Conductor of Spanish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, from 2019 to 2023, and before that he was Music Director of Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya (2010–2015).
With a broad repertoire, González crafts intelligent programmes, and while drawn instinctively to the emotional power of Russian repertoire, at RTVE he also presented surveys of Berlioz, Mahler and Szymanowski, music by contemporary Spanish composers, and full Beethoven, Schumann and Brahms cycles.
In our exclusive interview with him, he explains his approach to programming: ‘It’s very important to bear in mind the background of the audience. In places where programming has been conservative, and you want to change that, you have to go step by step, because people are paying money for a ticket and they have their preferences. You need to be daring and bold, but also aware of whom you are addressing.’
As a trained actor, he brings refined skills to communicating with both musicians and audiences. He describes what the training gave him: ‘If something didn’t work the teacher would say, ‘Hey, the guy in row 14 is going to go home!’ When I was a flute player, nobody ever spoke to me like this. We always talked about music: more pianissimo here, the phrasing goes here, intonation. Music teachers hardly ever mentioned the audience. When I work with an orchestra, I always think: what about the guy in row 14? Has he enjoyed our subito piano?’
González is also passionate about community engagement, and in Barcelona strengthened the orchestra’s community focus, developing a collaborative social project Et toca a tu for children at risk of social exclusion.
Of his musical vision, he says: ‘It’s important to believe in your ideas in order to be able to inspire people. Of course you must have talent, technique and all the qualities that make a conductor, but you must also believe in your ideas and share your enthusiasm in a way that makes people want to go with you. For me, this belief comes out of two things: love for what I do, which is my motivation, and, of course, hard work. But it’s the utmost admiration and respect for the composer that makes you want to do something special, and if you manage to do it, you bring people with you.’
Born in Oviedo, González studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and won prizes at the prestigious Donatella Flick and Cadaqués International Conducting competitions. He also took formal training to be an actor at the Academy Drama School in London, as well as taking other drama courses, and has appeared as an actor on stage and film. He has previously served as Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestra of the City of Granada and Assistant Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
