{"id":32365,"date":"2026-08-31T11:04:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T16:04:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/?post_type=dso_press_release&#038;p=32365"},"modified":"2026-08-31T11:04:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T16:04:33","slug":"dallas-symphony-orchestra-appoints-enrico-lopez-yanez-as-creative-director-principal-conductor-of-pops-and-specials","status":"publish","type":"dso_press_release","link":"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/discover-connect\/dso-vault\/read\/press-releases\/dallas-symphony-orchestra-appoints-enrico-lopez-yanez-as-creative-director-principal-conductor-of-pops-and-specials\/","title":{"rendered":"Dallas Symphony Orchestra Appoints Enrico Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez as Creative Director &amp; Principal Conductor of Pops and Specials"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"hero__no-img bg-blue-8\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-10\">\n\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n    \t<li class=\"breadcrumb__link\">\n\t\t<a class=\"a-hover\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/\">Inicio<\/a>\n\t<\/li>\n    \t<li class=\"breadcrumb__link a-styles\">\n\t\t<a class=\"a-hover\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/?page_id=618\">Descubrir y conectar<\/a>\n\t<\/li>\n    \t<li class=\"breadcrumb__link a-styles\">\n\t\t<a class=\"a-hover\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/?page_id=619\">DSO Media Vault<\/a>\n\t<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n                \t\t\t\t<h1>\n                    <span >Dallas Symphony Orchestra Appoints Enrico Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez as Creative Director &amp; Principal Conductor of Pops and Specials<\/span>\n                <\/h1>\n                \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"richtext m-spacer\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>New role expands Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez&#8217;s artistic leadership of the DSO&#8217;s Pops and Specials while advancing the orchestra&#8217;s vision for programming beyond classical music<br><\/em><br><em>Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez&#8217;s three-year agreement with the DSO will begin on September 1, 2026<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DALLAS (August 31, 2026) \u2013 The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) today announced the appointment of Enrico Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez as Creative Director &amp; Principal Conductor of Pops and Specials (Nancy A. Nasher &amp; David J. Haemisegger Chair | Dot &amp; Paul Mason Podium), a newly created artistic leadership position that expands his role with the orchestra. Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez will serve as an artistic partner in shaping the DSO&#8217;s non-classical programming, developing new concert experiences while continuing to conduct multiple programs each season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Enrico has been an extraordinary artistic partner since joining the DSO as Principal Conductor of Dallas Symphony Presents in the 2023\/24 season. He brings creativity and energy to every performance and approaches programming with a deep commitment to connecting with audiences,&#8221; said Michelle Miller Burns, DSO&#8217;s Ross Perot President &amp; CEO. &#8220;In this new role, we look forward to broadening the scope of our Pops and Specials programming with innovative concerts that resonate with longtime patrons while inviting new audiences to discover everything the DSO has to offer. Enrico&#8217;s artistic vision, collaborative spirit and passion for engaging audiences make him the ideal leader to help shape this exciting next chapter for the DSO.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI am thrilled to take on this new role as Creative Director &amp; Principal Conductor of Pops and Specials with the DSO and to continue building on the exciting momentum we&#8217;ve created through our non-classical programming,\u201d said Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez. \u201cDallas is a city with endless artistic possibilities and an incredibly diverse community. I look forward to creating experiences that welcome new audiences, celebrate a wide range of musical traditions and showcase the remarkable versatility of our phenomenal DSO musicians.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond conducting the DSO and helping shape its non-classical programming, Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez will cultivate new partnerships, both within the Dallas-Fort Worth community and with today&#8217;s leading contemporary artists. Together with the DSO, he will develop innovative concert experiences that expand the possibilities of live orchestral performance and showcase the extraordinary versatility of the orchestra. Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez and his wife, vocalist Cassandra Pinataro, will be relocating to Dallas, allowing him to become more deeply connected to the community and create programming that reflects the region&#8217;s vibrant cultural landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOrchestras are one of the most versatile music ensembles that exist. I love exploring the different genres with which we can collaborate and finding new ways for people to experience and interact with symphonic music,&#8221; said Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez. &#8220;Whether you\u2019re a lifelong classical music fan or attending your very first orchestra concert, I want every performance to feel welcoming, exciting and memorable. My goal is to create programs that showcase great music in all its forms while reflecting the creativity, diversity and energy of the Dallas-Fort Worth community.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DSO presents an array of non-classical programming each season, from immensely popular movies-in-concert productions to Broadway hits, blues, rock, jazz, tributes to iconic artists and more. Since joining the orchestra&#8217;s artistic leadership as Principal Conductor of Dallas Symphony Presents in the 2023\/24 season, Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez has expanded the scope of this programming through innovative collaborations and dynamic original productions. Highlights have included &#8220;Disco Fever,&#8221; presented during the 2024\/25 season, which celebrated disco favorites from the 1970s and 1980s and featured a &#8220;dance-off&#8221; led by Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez from the podium, and &#8220;La Vida Loca&#8221; from the 2025\/26 season, which featured Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez&#8217;s symphonic arrangements of Latin pop hits of the 1990s and 2000s as well as an enthusiastic audience participation segment for the classic &#8220;Macarena&#8221; dance. Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez has also returned each fall to conduct the DSO\u2019s popular D\u00eda de los Muertos concert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez will lead the DSO in several concerts during the 2026\/27 season, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/productions\/elvis-frankie-moreno\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"dso_prod_season\" data-id=\"29972\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">La m\u00fasica de Elvis con Frankie Moreno<\/a> (Sept. 11-13), the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/productions\/gala-concert-with-idina-menzel\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"dso_prod_season\" data-id=\"30011\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Symphony Gala with Idina Menzel<\/a> (Sept. 26), the DSO\u2019s annual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/productions\/dia-de-los-muertos-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"dso_prod_season\" data-id=\"30003\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">D\u00eda de los Muertos<\/a> celebration (Oct. 30), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/productions\/pop-queens\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"dso_prod_season\" data-id=\"29980\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Oops\u2026I Sang It Again! Pop Queens of the \u201890s &amp; \u201800s<\/a> (Jan. 8-9), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/productions\/disney-and-pixars-up-in-concert\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"dso_prod_season\" data-id=\"30007\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UP en concierto, de Disney y Pixar<\/a> (Feb. 26-28), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/productions\/everything-i-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"dso_prod_season\" data-id=\"29985\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Todo lo que s\u00e9: Mandy Gonz\u00e1lez canta a Lin-Manuel Miranda<\/a> (March 19-21) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/productions\/billy-joel\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"dso_prod_season\" data-id=\"29989\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">La m\u00fasica de Billy Joel<\/a> (May 21-23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Photos and video of Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/dalsym.canto.com\/s\/L2K9E?viewIndex=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aqu\u00ed<\/a> and used with credit to the DSO. Interviews with Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez and DSO President &amp; CEO Michelle Miller Burns are available upon request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>ABOUT ENRICO LOPEZ-YA\u00d1EZ<br><\/strong><br>Enrico Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez is redefining what it means to be a conductor in the 21st Century. Celebrated for his charismatic stage presence, genre-defining collaborations and passion for making orchestral music accessible to all, Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez is one of the most innovative and in-demand conductors in North America. He currently serves as Creative Director &amp; Principal Conductor of Pops and Specials at the Dallas Symphony, Principal Pops Conductor for the Detroit and Pacific Symphonies, as well as Principal Guest Conductor of Pops at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. He previously spent eight seasons conducting the Nashville Symphony, where he also served as their Principal Pops Conductor. As a trailblazer in the symphonic world, Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez has premiered dozens of groundbreaking symphonic collaborations with artists including Dolly Parton, Kelsea Ballerini, Portugal. The Man, The Mavericks, Tituss Burgess, Trisha Yearwood, The Lone Bellow and The War and Treaty. His wide-ranging collaborations span genres and generations, featuring artists such as Nas, Common, Itzhak Perlman, Jos\u00e9 Carreras, Kenny Loggins, Stewart Copeland, Toby Keith, Leslie Odom Jr., Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Samara Joy, Ben Rector, Ben Folds, The Beach Boys, Tower of Power and Kenny G.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the world\u2019s busiest conductors, Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez leads more than 100 performances each season with North America\u2019s leading orchestras and performers. Highlights of the 2026\/27 season include performances with Aida Cuevas, Bernadette Peters, Better Than Ezra, Cody Fry, Idina Menzel, Mandy Gonzalez, Megan Hilty and Pepe Aguilar. He will make appearances with the New York Philharmonic and Grant Park Orchestra while returning to lead the Baltimore Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Houston Symphony, National Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Toronto Symphony and Utah Symphony among others. Past guest engagements include the Atlanta Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa), Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, St. Louis Symphony and more. As a composer and arranger, Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez\u2019s versatility is equally expansive. He has written for artists like Big Sean and Mariachi Los Camperos, and he has been commissioned by major orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Detroit Symphony, Houston Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, San Diego Symphony and many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2023, Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez was honored with the \u201cMexicanos Distinguidos\u201d award by the Mexican government, recognizing outstanding career achievements by Mexican citizens abroad. A passionate advocate for Latin music, he has arranged and produced concerts including La Vida Loca, Latin Fire, Mariachi Los Camperos and The Three Mexican Tenors and has collaborated with Angela, Leonardo and Pepe Aguilar, Aida Cuevas, Arturo Sandoval, Lila Downs and Lupita Infante. Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez is the conductor on Los Aguilar Sinf\u00f3nica Desde El Hollywood Bowl, the live recording released in 2026. In 2021, Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez conducted the critically acclaimed live streamed production of Daniel Catan\u2019s opera La Hija de Rappaccini which received an Emmy\u00ae nomination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez is also Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Symphonica Productions, LLC, a creative production company developing innovative Pops, Family and Educational concerts for orchestras. Symphonica\u2019s shows have been praised as \u201cincredibly special \u2013 and something that needs to become the new norm\u201d (Lima Symphony) and have been performed by the Baltimore, Milwaukee, North Carolina, Phoenix, Seattle, Toronto and Utah Symphonies, among others. His work as a producer, composer and arranger can be heard on numerous recordings, including the UNESCO benefit album Action Moves People United and award-winning children\u2019s albums such as The Spaceship that Fell in My Backyard and Kokowanda Bay. His work has received honors from the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Parents\u2019 Choice Foundation and Global Media Awards, where he was recognized for his \u201ccatchy arrangements.\u201d For more, visit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.enricolopezyanez.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.enricolopezyanez.com<\/a> or follow @enricolopezyanez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>SOBRE LA ORQUESTA SINF\u00d3NICA DE DALLAS<br><\/strong><br>La Orquesta Sinf\u00f3nica de Dallas, bajo la direcci\u00f3n musical de Fabio Luisi (director musical Louise W. &amp; Edmund J. Kahn), ofrece m\u00e1s de 100 conciertos al a\u00f1o en el Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, una de las mejores salas de conciertos del mundo. Sus or\u00edgenes se remontan a un concierto con 40 m\u00fasicos dirigido por Hans Kreissig en 1900. La DSO se ha convertido en la organizaci\u00f3n de artes esc\u00e9nicas m\u00e1s destacada del suroeste y es una piedra angular del Dallas Arts District, con una superficie de 118 acres, el distrito art\u00edstico urbano m\u00e1s grande del pa\u00eds. A trav\u00e9s de sus aclamadas grabaciones y giras internacionales, la DSO comparte su arte con p\u00fablicos de todo el mundo, extendiendo su influencia m\u00e1s all\u00e1 de Dallas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">La DSO est\u00e1 comprometida con su misi\u00f3n de inspirar y cambiar vidas a trav\u00e9s de la excelencia musical y atiende a m\u00e1s de 200,000 adultos y ni\u00f1os cada a\u00f1o mediante actuaciones, programas educativos e iniciativas comunitarias. Los programas educativos de la DSO siembran la semilla del estudio y la apreciaci\u00f3n musical, as\u00ed como del \u00e9xito acad\u00e9mico y el desarrollo social. Young Strings y Kim Noltemy Young Musicians ofrecen acceso a clases de m\u00fasica y instrumentos gratuitos a cientos de estudiantes cada a\u00f1o, y los Conciertos Juveniles Cecil e Ida Green dan la bienvenida a m\u00e1s de 10,000 estudiantes del \u00e1rea de Dallas al Meyerson cada temporada. Durante casi tres d\u00e9cadas, la DSO ha acercado la m\u00fasica cl\u00e1sica a miles de personas a trav\u00e9s de la serie anual de conciertos de verano Parks Concerts Series. DSO Cares ofrece actuaciones en hospitales, residencias de personas mayores y en colaboraci\u00f3n con otras organizaciones de servicios de todo el norte de Texas, llevando el poder curativo de la m\u00fasica a quienes m\u00e1s lo necesitan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DSO is supported, in part, by funds from the Office of Arts &amp; Culture, City of Dallas. For more information, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dallassymphony.org<\/a> or follow @dallassymphony on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>CONTACTOS CON LOS MEDIOS DE COMUNICACI\u00d3N:<br><\/strong><br>Annie Chu | Culver Public Relations<br>972.890.6978<br><a href=\"mailto:communications@dalsym.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">communications@dalsym.com<\/a><br><br>James Jillson | Chief Marketing &amp; Communications Officer<br>214.871.4537<br><a href=\"mailto:j.jillson@dalsym.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">j.jillson@dalsym.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dallas Symphony Orchestra Appoints Enrico Lopez-Ya\u00f1ez as Creative Director &#038; Principal Conductor of Pops and Specials.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":25028,"template":"","class_list":["post-32365","dso_press_release","type-dso_press_release","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dso_press_release\/32365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dso_press_release"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/dso_press_release"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dso_press_release\/32365\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32372,"href":"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dso_press_release\/32365\/revisions\/32372"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25028"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dallassymphony.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}