Roberto Gemignani is an emerging conductor from the state of Iowa. At the University of

Southern California Thornton School of Music, Roberto studied Piano Performance with

Lucinda Carver, Arts Leadership with Kenneth Foster, and Orchestral Conducting with Larry

Livingston. He has also been mentored by such eminent conductors as Joseph Giunta, Donald

Schleicher, Gary Lewis, Jeffrey Grogan, and Carl St. Clair. In 2022, he was invited to guest

conduct the Student Symphony Orchestra of USC before taking on the role of Music Director for

their 2023-2024 season.

As a conductor, Roberto is passionate about revamping the orchestral concert experience to be

more accessible, approachable, and engaging. An exponent of film and video game music, he

seeks to affirm the artistic validity of modern and popular works by giving them equal

representation alongside the great masterworks of the orchestral canon. Viewing the most

important function of an orchestra as uplifting and strengthening community, Roberto’s greatest

aspiration is for the concert hall to be a place where people from all walks of life feel welcome,

respected, and valued.

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