David Navarro-Turres: From Antofagasta to the World’s Great Orchestras

David Navarro-Turres, artistic director of the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra (BPHO) and the Serenata Vocale choir, has conducted on international stages, from Belgium to Asia and South America. With a career that began at the age of fifteen with the Youth Symphony Orchestra of his hometown, Antofagasta, this Chilean conductor has worked with prestigious orchestras, including the National Orchestra of Belgium, the Hong Kong Symphony Orchestra, and numerous orchestras in Chile, solidifying his place in contemporary orchestral conducting.

By Maxi Luna
PH: @Georges Lillywhite

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What is a typical day like in your job as a conductor?

I am fortunate that my work is not routine. What is often associated with conducting, such as being in front of an orchestra or, in my case, also a choir, represents about 50% of what I do.

The rest of the time is dedicated to a variety of organizational tasks. Here in Europe, for example, it is common to plan seasons one or two years in advance, sometimes even more. Among coordinating these activities and rehearsals, which are often double, one of the biggest challenges is balancing professional and personal life. My wife, who is also a musician (violinist), is currently performing in Germany, so managing the family dynamic is also part of my daily routine.

Additionally, I consider it essential to study every day, even if just for an hour. It is almost a rule for me. It’s not just about staying connected to my work but also to music itself. For instance, while I cook, I often listen to a recording of a piece I need to conduct. It’s not that I am always thinking about music, but I also don’t completely set it aside, something I believe happens to all of us musicians.

As a fellow Latin American, I am interested in hearing about your journey from Chile in the far south to Europe.

I was born under the military dictatorship in Chile, and my parents, both teachers, tried to shield us a bit from the chaos that was happening at that time. We lived in a poor neighborhood, one of those that in South America is described as “rough.” But I was fortunate that there was an arts school nearby, and my parents decided to enroll my brother and me from a young age. At that school, ballet, theater, dance, music, and visual arts were taught. In the morning, we attended regular classes, and then we participated in artistic activities until eight at night.

That’s how I had the opportunity to start playing in an orchestra when I was about 7 or 8 years old, and by the age of 15, I conducted for the first time. That experience was incredible—better than anything I had experienced up until that moment! Conducting has always been something deeply connected to my being. When you conduct, you don’t just work with musicians; you work with colleagues, and that relationship of respect and collaboration is essential. I have always been fascinated by conducting.

In Chile, I was able to study clarinet professionally in Santiago, but the desire to pursue conducting never faded. Finally, in 2008, my brother, who is an opera singer, told me, “I haven’t given you a gift in years, but I can give you a plane ticket.” So, I sold everything I had, packed a suitcase, and set off on the adventure. I initially arrived in Berlin, but, by the twists of life, I was in Brussels within a year, where I was able to complete my master’s degree and study conducting.

It must have been a significant change…

My life as a conductor really began here. The orchestra with which I did my final exam called me two months later. The conductor who was present at my exam had passed away, but before he did, he had everything organized and recommended that I conduct the concerts that were already scheduled for September. So, I rushed to buy the scores and began studying intensely. Little by little, I was offered the position of assistant conductor, and in 2012/13, I was asked if I wanted to be the principal conductor.

The orchestra is a mix of state and private funding, in a very special country with three official languages, four regions, and three different ways of life. It’s quite a challenge; you have to understand the manner and culture of each group. Additionally, the orchestra did not have sufficient funds, and the work was almost quixotic. In Chile, we would call it a “circo Chamorro” because you have to keep an eye on a thousand things. I had to learn from the administrative ground up, manage European funds, and deal with a group that at that time had 25 different nationalities. I also learned languages and, little by little, I managed to get people to believe in the concerts again. The musicians had many internal conflicts, but after years and years of battling, everything began to settle down. There were new auditions; we needed a different type of musicians.

I have been in Europe for almost 15 years. During this time, I met the pianist of my orchestra, the Argentine María Gabriela Quel, who introduced me to Sebastián Colombo and the entire Scaramuzza school. Next year, we will organize concerts with Natasha Binder.

When you moved to Europe, had you already studied conducting in Chile, or was your intention to train in that field?

I had taken some courses, but at that time, there was no formal training in conducting in Chile, like what you have in Buenos Aires. What backed me up was my experience, as I had played in orchestras since I was a child and also professionally. However, my real education in conducting came here at the Conservatory of Brussels, where I had an excellent instructor. He gave me the freedom of thought that was crucial for me. When you play in an orchestra, you realize that certain things don’t work the way the composer envisioned, and then you have to adjust. Perhaps you cut something here or modify the articulation there; everything adapts.

You also did some masterclasses. What did those experiences leave you?

The most important one for me, the one that truly changed my way of thinking, was with Maestro David Zinman (Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich). At that time, he was still conducting, and it was an incredible experience. What impacted me the most was his approach to music, a very sincere way of confronting it. He told us something I never forgot: “The music makes the gesture, not the gesture makes the music.”

He reminded us that we already have the technique because we study for that, but each of us has a body and a way of expressing ourselves that is distinct. However, it is the music that guides the gesture, and that idea was deeply ingrained in me.

“I firmly believe that a conductor should always be learning; one never stops evolving.” – David Navarro-Turres

What is more difficult, conducting a good orchestra or a regular orchestra? In a good orchestra, the musicians respond to everything, but perhaps they challenge you more, while in a lesser orchestra, you have to correct from the ground up…

Both come with a high degree of responsibility, but for different reasons. In a good orchestra, as you mentioned, the musicians don’t need you to explain the great mysteries of the piece. They are there to see what you, as a conductor, can bring to them. You start from a high level, but precisely because of that, you must earn their trust. They will play, of course, but if you don’t manage to capture their interest, your work won’t matter to them at all. Therefore, you have to have a tremendous responsibility to reach the point where you stand in front of them. You need to know exactly how to address the specific problems of the piece and the orchestra and be clear about the artistic goal. The musical discourse flows better because you don’t need to stop constantly for technical issues.

However, when you work with an orchestra that doesn’t have much experience, the responsibility is even greater because they rely on you to understand what you really want to achieve. You must take what exists and make the most of it. For a developing conductor, working with less experienced groups is an excellent way to learn because the process is collaborative. You learn how to achieve the best result and face challenges from the ground up.

Nowadays, it is very trendy to see young conductors, 18 years old, tackling major works from the repertoire, but then you hear them live, and it doesn’t work. I believe that conducting is something that is forged through experience. It involves living through the rehearsals, going through moments of tension before a concert, and learning to deal with all that. The rehearsals are few, and they must be very precise.

I was fortunate to grow alongside the orchestra I work with, and although I have a great responsibility, we are also colleagues. I firmly believe that a conductor should always be learning; one never stops evolving. I remember a masterclass where a young man asked the teacher, “What do I need to learn from the score to conduct it?” The teacher looked at him and replied, “Everything, note by note.” And I remember the silence because that’s what it’s all about.

David Navarro-Turres: De Antofagasta a las grandes orquestas del mundo

I would also like to know about your experience working with youth orchestras…

My experience began as an assistant in an orchestra made up of university students who, although they did not pursue music professionally, had all studied privately and wanted to play. We performed works from the traditional repertoire: Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, among others. That is where I started to take my first steps as a conductor.

In Europe, the youth orchestra system exists, but it is not as developed as the famous “Sistema” in Venezuela, for example. Nevertheless, there have been certain changes in how music education is approached in Belgium. The contact with music in this part of the world is very different from what happens in South America. It is curious because it is a very selective field, but at the same time quite democratic in certain aspects.

A lot of work is done with schools and poorer neighborhoods, where students have the opportunity to interact with music. Something I find very interesting is that concerts are organized in collaboration with professional orchestras, allowing young musicians to share the stage with professionals, which greatly enriches their training.

It is a different but rewarding dynamic because you see how those kids who may not have the resources or access to formal music education can live the experience of music from the inside, and that is very transformative.

“The key is to adapt to each situation and each musical culture.” – David Navarro-Turres

You return to conduct in South America from time to time. What differences do you find compared to European orchestras?

It’s very different, not only from a technical perspective but also from a cultural one. For example, my orchestra in Europe already knows me, so I can joke around, we laugh together, there’s a complicity. But in other contexts, I’ve found that people look at me seriously when I make a funny comment. In South America, one has to be careful sometimes because there’s the perception that you come from Europe, and there can be an attitude of “Let’s see what this guy is going to say.” There, sincerity is fundamental; being honest and respectful helps a lot in building a good connection.

The biggest adaptation I face is not technical but cultural. Each region has its particularities. It’s not the same to conduct a South American, European, or Asian orchestra. For instance, in some Asian countries, direct eye contact is not common because it’s considered an invasion of their personal space, so the conducting changes. You cannot rely on eye contact, and the musicians must see the score in your body and gestures. In Asia, the hierarchical aspect is very pronounced.

There are also technical differences, of course. In Russia, for example, they have the habit of playing after the beat (the conductor’s mark), so you have to adjust your perception and get used to that delay in sound. In some South American orchestras, the concept of sound also varies, so sometimes you have to make fewer gestures or move less, especially with the winds, so they don’t stand out too much. The key is to adapt to each situation and each musical culture.

Could you tell me about a particular concert that you remember especially well within your career?

There are several, but one that was very important for both me and the orchestra was at a Balkan music festival, one of the biggest here. The festival opened with Goran Bregović and a full orchestra, and the hall was completely sold out. I had just returned from working in Chile when my boss called me and said, “David, the conductor won’t be able to attend, so you have to conduct. Goran wants to meet with you to discuss some details of the score.” The curious thing is that Goran doesn’t read music, so it was a challenge to understand what he wanted and communicate it clearly to the 150 musicians. The concert was incredible; the energy from the audience, with more than 2,000 people jumping to the rhythm of the music, was something I will never forget, along with an amazing experience.

Another concert I deeply remember was when we performed Brahms’ Requiem. It was particularly difficult for me because my father was dying at that time. Nevertheless, life gives you the opportunity to channel those emotions through music, and that concert helped me process everything I was going through.

The recent concert in Hong Kong with the violinist Alexander Markoff was also very special—a true virtuoso. It was a very enriching experience. And another concert I will never forget was right at the beginning of the war, where I worked with a soloist from Lithuania.

However, if I had to choose the most significant concert, it was the first one I conducted. We performed Elgar’s Cello Concerto along with a modern piece. What made that concert special was that it was the first big one, in a full hall, with the soloist Camille Thomas, who is now recognized worldwide. I remember that when I arrived in Europe, I had to work very hard to survive because I didn’t come with a scholarship or support. That concert was the moment I realized why I did this: not for the money, but for the passion one feels, the same passion for which one sacrifices many things. That love for music is what I remember; it was the confirmation that I had completed a small stage and that, from there, there was so much more to learn.

It’s like reaching a place, but at the same time, that place is a new starting point…

Exactly, and I remember that when the piece ended, which was a huge work, there was not only the orchestra but also a choir of 120 people. I lifted my head, and the concertmaster, who was a friend of mine who has since moved to another orchestra, said to me, “David! Wake up!” I was like in a dream, completely immersed in the music, not realizing what we had just done. It was a moment that marked me because you realize that this “place” you arrived at is just the beginning of something greater.

You mentioned your brother and your father… How important has your family’s support been from the beginning until now?

I would say that one doesn’t realize the importance of family until one grows up. When you’re a child, you think that what you live is normal, that all children are lucky enough to have parents who care for and look after them. But as you grow up, especially when you’re away from your family, you start to appreciate everything they did for you. Without my family, I wouldn’t have reached where I am. My parents didn’t earn much; we were poor, but my mother had a huge library with books she was given or found, so there was always a lot of reading, music, and singing in my house. It was crazy; my brother played the trumpet, my sister sang, I played the drums and the piano… Music was always the priority.

That way of living, growing up with music at the center, gives you a fundamental foundation. Although my parents didn’t fully understand what I was doing, they understood the lifestyle it implied. I remember the day I left home at 17, my mom said to me, “Don’t come back. I’ve done my part; do what you have to do, but be good.” I think sometimes we don’t fully appreciate the impact parents have on our lives, but for me, they have undoubtedly been 90% of the journey. The other 10% is what one does, but having a family that, even without understanding everything, supports and guides you is essential. For me, it was key.


 

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