Profile

José Soares is the Associate Conductor of Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra and the First Prize winner of the 19th Tokyo International Music Competition for Conducting. Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, he started in music studying piano and choir singing at the age of seven, coached by his mother, Ana Yara Campos. José studied orchestral conducting with Claudio Cruz, in a partnership program with Sao Paulo Youth Symphony Orchestra. 

As a fellow of the 2016 and 2017 editions of Campos do Jordao Winter Festival, he was mentored by Marin Alsop, Arvo Volmer, Giancarlo Guerrero, Neil Thomson and Alexander Libreich. In the 2017 edition, he won the Festival Conducting Prize. Invited by Musical Director Marin Alsop, José conducted the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra in two Sunday matinee programs (2017 and 2018). In September 2017, he served as musical director and conductor for a Brazilian pocket version production of La Cenerentola, by Gioachino Rossini. 

For the 2018 Season, José has been invited to serve as Osesp’s Guest Assistant Conductor. As a conducting fellow of the Järvi Academy (2019), a program of the Parnu Music Festival, he trained his skills with Paavo Järvi and Leonid Grin. 

José’s first experience conducting the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra occurred in 2017, during the Conducting Lab, a masterclass with Musical Director Fabio Mechetti, who later invited him to conduct one of the Youth Concerts of the 2019 season. His tenure with the Minas Philharmonic started in the 2020 Season, as the Assistant Conductor, becoming the Associate Conductor in the beginning of the 2022 Season. He currently studies Composition at the University of Sao Paulo.



“The youngster of the 12 participants, Brazilian Jose Soares got the first prize. It’s surprising that at only 23 years old someone can conduct the orchestra with such technique and calmness in a complex work, with an irregular meter and that requires a large orchestra, like Petrushka.“

Haruo Yamada / Review of the 19th Tokyo International Music Competition

(Competition homepage)

 

“In the concert, he showed his ability to quick response and adapt, bringing out of the NHK Symphony Orchestra the experience of many concerts from the orchestra’s period with conductor Sawallisch. Also, the reaction of the audience was wonderful, and at the moment that Schumann's first movement enthusiastically ended, spontaneous applause broke out.”

Takuo Ikeda /Award-winning debut concert with NHK Symphony Orchestra review

(Mostly Classic magazine)

 

“What do judges look for in an international conducting competition? Young potential talent or someone who is more experienced and work-ready? Of course, ideally they would want to find someone who is both, but it’s often a reality that they have to compromise and choose one over the other, or not give the top prize at all. Fortunately, the judges in this year’s Tokyo International Music Competition for Conducting found a highly talented conductor with both of these qualities in 23-year-old José Soares from Brazil, the youngest of the four finalists.”

Nahoko Gotoh / José Soares wins the Tokyo International Music Competition for Conducting

Bachtrack Online Magazine