Professor Germán Augusto Gutiérrez has served as Director of Orchestras and Professor of Orchestral Studies at Fort Worth’s Texas Christian University (TCU) as well as Director of TCU’s Latin American Music Center and biennial Latin American Music Festival since 1996. Since 2000, Dr. Gutiérrez has also served as Music Director of the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra (FWYO).
Dr. Gutiérrez is a frequent guest conductor of professional orchestras in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa and Oceania. He recently recorded a CD with the Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra with Daniel Binelli and Polly Ferman as soloists. Recent invitations include the Qingdao Cosmopolitan Music Festival in China, the Fort Worth Symphony, the Shanghai Conservatory Symphony, the Alcalá de Henares Symphony Orchestra, in Spain; the Lebanon National Philharmonic and the Orquesta Filarmónica of Bogotá, Colombia. In 2011, the TCU Symphony Orchestra was awarded the Carlos Gardel Musical Prize for its CD “Cantar Latinoamericano” with Opus Cuatro as soloists. This award led to the invitation for the orchestra to perform in May, 2013 in Buenos Aires and Rosario. For the twelfth consecutive year Dr. Gutiérrez served as guest conductor of the Dallas Symphony’s Hispanic Festival. In 2006, he was invited to conduct the Czech National Symphony in historic Smetana Hall as part of the 110th anniversary of Carl Orff’s birth, where he led the orchestra in a performance of Carmina Burana. Maestro Gutiérrez has also appeared with the Argentina, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Perú and Cuba National Symphonies. Other orchestras include the Hu Bei State Symphony of China, the Free State Symphony Orchestra of South Africa. Shanghai Symphony (China), Xalapa and San Luis Potosí in Mexico, the, Auckland Philharmonic (New Zealand), Sinfónica del Teatro Municipal de Rio de Janeiro, and Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra (Brazil), among others. In 2002, Maestro Gutiérrez was invited to the Trentino region of Italy to conduct Rossini’s opera The Barber of Seville for the 30th anniversary of the Pergine Spettacolo Aperto.
Under his baton, the TCU Symphony and the FWYO have achieved exceptional levels of recognition in Fort Worth and abroad. Both groups have traveled on numerous international tours, obtaining enthusiastic reviews, including repeat invitations as the featured orchestra to engagements such as the Iberoamerican Music Festival in Puerto Rico, and the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in San Antonio. With the TCU Symphony, Maestro Gutiérrez has also conducted the world premieres of more than fifty contemporary works. In 2017, Maestro Gutiérrez led the FWYO on a tour of Europe that included performances at Salzburg’s Mozarteum, Eisenstadt’s Esterházy Palace in Austria, and a concert in Prague.
Maestro Gutiérrez holds Músico Bachiller and Maestro en Música degrees from the Tolima Conservatory in Colombia. He also received a master’s degree from Illinois State University and a doctoral degree from the University of Northern Colorado. In recognition to his achievements, Dr. Gutierrez was included in the Hall of Fame of Illinois State University, and was invited to give the Commencement speech in May 2018. For his involvement and dedication to TCU, Maestro Gutiérrez received the Dean’s Teaching Award (1999), the Dean’s Award for Research and Creative Activity (2002), and the 2003 Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity, the highest award that the university bestows.
He makes his home in Fort Worth with his wife Silvia and two sons, Nicolás and Gabriel.
Music director and conductor of all TCU Symphony concerts.
Conductor of the TCU Opera
Co-Conductor of TCU concerts at Bass Hall.
Director of the TCU Latin American Music Center.
Director of the Biannual TCU Latin American Music Festival
Active researcher on the Music of Latin American composers. More than 100 world premieres conducted. Commissioned about 20 new works. Liaison for agreements with Latin American Institutions promoting axchange programs for faculty and students.
1999 Dean’s Teaching Award
Dean’s Award for Research and Creative Activity
2003 Chancellor’s Award
College Orchestra Directo’r Association (CODA)
Fort Worth Youth Orchestra Music Director and Conductor.
Chair of International Committee of College
Orchestra Director’s Association.
