Ezra Calvino

Guest Conductor

Ezra Calvino has been recognized for their insight, clarity, and sensitivity as a conductor, violist, and chamber musician. Throughout their studies, they have sought to draw on diverse musical disciplines from baroque performance practice to modern popular music to develop a unique artistic perspective that is firmly grounded in the complexity of our present historical moment. Refusing to limit their musical thought to the traditional canon has allowed them to understand how a “classical” artistic practice can transcend mere aesthetic nicety and participate in holistic social healing.

Ezra holds degrees in both Orchestral Conducting and Viola Performance and is an alumnus of notable training programs including the National Orchestral Institute + Festival, the Eastern Music Festival, the International Conducting Workshop and Festival, and the Prague Summer Nights Young Artists Music Festival. Recent performances include a world premiere of composer Nicky Sohn’s piece “Can you stop the time? (no)” with the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic and leading the Eastern Festival Orchestra in a performance of Rossini’s Overture to William Tell. Last season, they led performances of Jennifer Higdon’s Grammy-award winning Percussion Concerto with the Bowling Green Philharmonia. Ezra is currently based in Chicago, where they serve as Associate Conductor to the Ravinia Festival’s Sistema Ravinia youth ensembles. They have studied with Emily Freeman Brown, Marin Alsop, Larry Rachleff, Gerard Schwarz, James Ross, and Donald Schleicher.