HECTOR GUZMAN

A recipient of countless distinctions, Maestro Hector Guzman is Music Director of the Plano Symphony Orchestra, the Irving Symphony and the San Angelo Symphony in the United States. In 2004, he was declared winner of the "Seven Conductors-One Baton" International Conducting competition and appointed Music Director of the Jalisco Philharmonic in Mexico.

As a guest conductor, Maestro Guzman has appeared with the Monterrey Symphony, Xalapa Symphony, State of Mexico Symphony, UNAM Philharmonic, Philharmonic Society Orchestra, Bellas Artes Chamber Orchestra, the Vivaldi Orchestra of Mexico City, the San Antonio and Dallas Symphonies, the Wheeling Symphony, the National Symphony of the Dominican Republic, the Mexico City Philharmonic, the National Symphony of Mexico, the Collegium Orchestra of Prague in the Czech Republic, the Japan Philharmonic, the Amadeus orchestra, The Sinfonia Venetto, the Milano Classica orchestra and the Bari Symphony in Italy and the Sinfonica de Murcia and Joven  Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid, in Spain. He made his operatic debut in 2005 with Rossini's Barber of Seville and his performance of the opera "Frida" in 2007, was considered the "best opera of the year" by the Mexican press. He has also appeared as soloist and recitalist in venues such as the Meyerson Symphony Hall in Dallas, the Spivey Hall Distinguished Artist Series in Atlanta and the cathedrals of Morelia, Guadalajara and Chartres, among others.

In his native Mexico, Hector Guzman achieved an impressive reputation as an organist by taking first prize in the "Chamber Soloists" competition and the "Manuel Ponce" national organ competition. In the United States, while a student of world famous master teachers Alfred Mouledous and Robert Anderson, he earned further distinction by winning solo competitions at Southern Methodist University and the University of North Texas. In 1978, he gained world acclaim when he became the first Latin-American ever chosen as a finalist in France's "Grand Prix de Chartres"- the world's most prestigious international organ competition.

Mr. Guzman holds degrees from the Conservatory of Music in Mexico City, the University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University and has studied with many illustrious conductors including his mentor Anshel Brusilow, Helmuth Rilling and Carlo Maria Giulini at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. For several years, he was a protégé of the late Maestro Eduardo Mata, Conductor Emeritus of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

In demand internationally as a conductor and recitalist, Maestro Guzman was accorded the "Outstanding National Young Artist" award from the government of Mexico, the "Golden Lyre" award, given by the Mexican Union of Musicians, the "Meadows" award from SMU, the DeVry Institute's "Director Par Excellence" award and in 2000, he was included in the "Outstanding Musicians of the XX Century" magazine, published by the International Biographical Centre in Cambridge, England.

In 2003, a Dallas based UNIVISION TV documentary on Mr. Guzman's career was nominated for an "Emmy" award and in 2004 he was the recipient of the "Silver Good Citizenship Medal" from the Sons of the American Revolution for his outstanding contributions to the arts in North Texas.

The 2005 "Artistic Merit Medal" was awarded to Maestro Guzman by the Government of the State of Mexico for his contributions to music world-wide and was also the recipient of the 2006 "Artistic Silver Medal" awarded by the government of his native state, Zacatecas, Mexico. In 2008, he was the recipient of the Mozart Medal, the highest musical honor in Mexico, awarded by the Embassy of Austria and the Mozart Academy in Mexico City.