Tarcisio Barreto Ceballos

 

Is a founding member of Venezuela’s National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras, where he developed a multifaceted career of more than 45 years as a violinist, conductor, educator, administrator, and composer. Within El Sistema he served as Director of the Central-Western Region and, for more than three decades, as General Director of the Lara State chapter—one of the country’s most influential hubs, which nurtured many of today’s prominent international artists, including Gustavo Dudamel, Diego Matheuz, and numerous others.

 

Educated in Venezuela, Barreto Ceballos studied violin with José Francisco del Castillo and Rony Rogoff, and orchestral conducting with El Sistema founder Maestro José Antonio Abreu, collaborating closely with him on major projects throughout Venezuela and across Latin America for three decades. From an early age he expanded his training abroad, attending advanced courses in Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, Norway, and the United States. His career has been remarkably versatile, with appearances as a violin soloist and conductor throughout Latin America, Europe, and North America in countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Costa Rica, Spain, Italy, Germany, Norway, and the United States.

 

From 1993 to 2016 he served as Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Lara Symphony Orchestra, and in 1994 he became Music Director of the Occidente Opera Company, leading full productions of Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci, Negro Miguel, La Traviata, Madama Butterfly, Gianni Schicchi, Suor Angelica, Il Tabarro, La Bohème, and Los Martirios de Colón.

 

In 1997 he was named Cultural Executive of the Year for his contributions to regional cultural development. He has been a driving force behind youth orchestra initiatives across the Americas, supported by organizations such as the OAS, UNESCO, CAF, and Mercosur, significantly strengthening and expanding children’s and youth orchestras throughout South America and the Caribbean. Many of today’s outstanding conductors and performers trace their beginnings to programs he led or inspired.

 

Between 1996 and 2016 Barreto Ceballos served as Executive Director of the Vicente Emilio Sojo Conservatory in Barquisimeto while maintaining an active teaching career. He founded the Bachelor’s Degree in Music at Lisandro Alvarado University, where he taught Orchestral Conducting and Twentieth-Century Music, and he also served as professor in the Master’s Program at the Universidad Nacional de las Artes in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

 

Since 2021 he has served as Site Manager at Miami Music Project, where he combines high-level artistic, administrative, and pedagogical leadership. His work there continues his lifelong commitment to music as a tool for social transformation, youth empowerment, and community integration, particularly in underserved areas.

 

He has been a frequent guest conductor with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, leading national tours in Venezuela and acting as preparatory conductor for Maestro Gustavo Dudamel’s international tours. Since 2016 he has been Composer-in-Residence of the Miami Symphony Orchestra in the United States.

 

Deeply rooted in the identity of the American continent, Barreto Ceballos’s artistic vision integrates educational, social, and artistic excellence in all his endeavors. His artistry and leadership embody a lifelong commitment to music as a vehicle for excellence, education, and social change, leaving a lasting legacy on the training and inspiration of children and young musicians across the region.