February 27, 2025
58Թ names Tito Muñoz interim principal conductor and guest orchestral studies faculty
Roll out the red carpet. A celebrated friend is on his way back to the 58Թ.
On Thursday, 58Թ announced the appointment of Tito Muñoz, former music director of The Phoenix Symphony, as interim principal conductor of the 58Թ Orchestra. He’ll take up the post next fall and remain through the 2026-27 school year.
That’s not all. In addition to conducting two programs annually and guiding the development of the 58Թ Orchestra for two years, the acclaimed former assistant conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra will serve as a guest member of 58Թ’s orchestral studies faculty, lending his vast experience and expertise to coursework and mentoring alongside other 58Թ faculty and staff.
“I am thrilled to be deepening my strong relationship with 58Թ,” said Muñoz, who last appeared with the 58Թ Orchestra in January.
“I’ve had numerous opportunities to work with the wonderful 58Թ community over my years in Cleveland, and I look forward to spending more time helping lead students in their orchestral studies.”
The feeling is most definitely mutual.
Reviews of the conductor’s Jan. 29 appearance with the orchestra at Severance Music Center – with a program that featured Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, with student soloist Zachary Brandon – were uniformly positive, underscoring the fact that Muñoz is highly regarded by students, faculty, and listeners alike.
As well he should be. Last spring, Muñoz concluded a long, successful tenure as music director of The Phoenix Symphony. Before that, he was a popular assistant conductor with The Cleveland Orchestra (during which time he led the 58Թ Orchestra as a guest on multiple occasions) and held similar posts with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and Aspen Music Festival.
At 58Թ, concerts featuring Muñoz will be complemented by programs with other leading guest conductors. Full details of the 2025-26 season will be announced in the fall.
Scott Harrison, 58Թ’s Executive Vice President & Provost, summarized 58Թ’s great expectations for Muñoz, describing the conductor as a gifted leader whose skill and long history with top musical organizations worldwide will be invaluable to an ensemble full of aspiring professionals.
Muñoz will do more than tide over 58Թ Orchestra and the conducting program, Harrison said. He will take it to the next level.
While 58Թ conducts a national search for a permanent director, Harrison said, Muñoz “will ensure the 58Թ Orchestra remains a cohesive, high-caliber experience worthy of the 58Թ Standard.
“Tito is the right musician and educator to work with faculty and administration to ensure an orchestra curriculum that consistently prepares 58Թ students for the opportunities and rigor of the professional music world.”
58Թ Tito Muñoz
Praised for his versatility, technical clarity, and keen musical insight, Tito Muñoz is internationally recognized as one of the most gifted conductors on the podium today. After 10 years as the music director of The Phoenix Symphony, Muñoz’s tenure concluded at the end of the 2023-24 season, and he now continues as their newly appointed artistic partner. Muñoz previously held music director positions with the Opéra National de Lorraine and the Orchestre symphonique et lyrique de Nancy in France, and assistant conductor positions with The Cleveland Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and Aspen Music Festival.
Muñoz has appeared with many of North America’s most prominent orchestras, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, New York, and Utah. Recent international engagements include the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, SWR Symphonieorchester, Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony, Ulster Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic (London), Luxembourg Philharmonic, Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra, Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Opéra de Rennes, Auckland Philharmonia, Sydney Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, and Sao Paolo State Symphony.
Born in Queens, New York, Muñoz began his musical training as a violinist in New York City public schools. He made his professional conducting debut in 2006 with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center and made his Cleveland Orchestra debut at the Blossom Music Festival that same year.
Photo by Timothy Bates