Conductor and violinist Diego Matheuz is a product of the internationally known Venezuelan Sistema. Now well established in Italy, in 2008 he made his debut with Claudio Abbado's Orchestra Mozart in Bologna and a year later was appointed their Principal Guest Conductor. In 2009 he conducted the Santa Cecilia Orchestra on tour in Milan, Turin and Lucerne. He continues a close relationship with both these orchestras with regular appearances throughout Italy. Other engagements in Italy include the RAI Symphony of Turin, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, La Scala Philharmonic and the Spoleto Festival. He continues to conduct the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela both in Venezuela and abroad.
Born in 1984, Diego Matheuz began his musical studies at the Jacinto Lara Music Conservatory in his hometown of Barquisimeto. He studied violin in the Latin-American Violin Academy with José Francisco del Castillo and began his conducting studies in 2005 with José Antonio Abreu. He has served as Assistant Conductor to Gustavo Dudamel with the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra on its recent tours, the Gothenburg Symphony in Sweden and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which he conducted in educational concerts. Diego Matheuz's international debut as a conductor with the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra took place in 2008 at the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico. He remains one of their concertmasters and has performed as soloist with orchestras in South America and the USA.
This is his first appearance with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.