Marco Parisotto

Marco Parisotto is the winner of seven major international competitions. He crowned these achievements in 1997 with the ‘Besançon International Competition for Conductors’, joining the ranks of maestros like Seiji Ozawa and Michel Plasson. A first in this elite events history, he was awarded the Grand Prix as well as the Prix du Public. Other top prizes have included the Tokyo International Conductors' Competition in Japan, Constantin Silvestri Competition in Romania and the Antonio Pedrotti in Italy. He was moreover conferred with all other special awards at these events.

Following a special concert celebrating Canada-China relations in 1999 at the Grand Theatre in Shanghai, Marco Parisotto was appointed Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, a position he held until 2003. He has also been Music Director of the Ontario Philharmonic in Canada since 1996 and is credited with building this orchestra to the high standard it enjoys today. Under his leadership Ontario Philharmonic has received superlative audience and media recognition.

His close association with orchestras is manifested through the strong relationships he has maintained with ensembles under his leadership. In 2014 he was unanimously elected as Music Director of the Jalisco Philharmonic, transforming this ensemble into one of Latin America’s most distinguished orchestras. Under his direction, the Jalisco Philharmonic garnered international attention with its virtuosic performances and participated in recordings, tours, international festivals and major events such as Placido Domingo’s Operalia. During his tenure the orchestra performed on tour in leading concert halls in Berlin, Munich, Essen, Vienna, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Busan and Mexico City which were received with great critical and public acclaim. As well, through Maestro Parisotto, the orchestra undertook significant commercial recording projects, starting with the philharmonic’s first release under the SONY Classical label.