Native Californian and conductor, Jorge Elias Ruvalcaba enjoys a multifaceted career in music both as an educator and artist. Jorge Ruvalcaba’s drive and passion in his conducting stem from his undying belief on the transformative power of music as a medium to break barriers and create a more just and fulfilling life. Ruvalcaba’s approach on the podium combines the excellence of the orchestra and promotion of new works with the ardent dream of music literacy for all.
A graduate of the Peabody Institute’s orchestral conducting program, Jorge has been an assistant conductor for the Peabody Youth Orchestra, the Peabody Symphony Orchestra, and the Peabody Chamber Orchestra. Furthermore, he has made conducting appearances with both the Hamburg School of Music’s Orchestra and the Elbphilharmonie.
Beyond his conducting endeavors, Jorge Ruvalcaba has appeared as a bassoonist with the Vallejo Symphony, Solano Symphony, Symphony Irvine, and San Bernardino Symphony. He is also an avid cook, amateur woodworker, and traditional longbow archer.
Ruvalcaba’s commitment to extend the boundaries of orchestral music beyond traditional settings is evident in his various projects. He partnered with emerging composer Andrew Burke for Huephoria 2021 in his new piece “Vanishing Point,” an interactive audio-visual composition which breaks the boundaries of live music by having the audience be within the ensemble.
As an educator, Mr. Ruvalcaba focuses heavily on his life’s goal of bringing high quality music education to resource-scarce communities. Being lifelong endeavor, Ruvalcaba’s efforts towards bridging a more equitable musical environment include leading successful programs at various under-resourced middle school and high schools in both Northern and Southern California. An eager organizer, Mr. Ruvalcaba created and co-led the Santa Ana Summer Arts program geared towards introducing instrumental music to the youth of Santa Ana, CA. He also partnered with the Vallejo Symphony to create a concert series for all of Vallejo’s youth, not only reintroducing orchestral music into the community at large, but also bringing the orchestra to thousands of students.