Colombian-born conductor Andrés Franco continues to inspire audiences with his imaginative programming and energetic style. Andrés is a frequent guest conductor in the United States, Europe, and South America. His recent and upcoming engagements include concerts with the Colorado, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Eugene, Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Nashville, Omaha, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis symphonies; the philharmonic orchestras of Boise and Oklahoma City; the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra; and the Chicago Sinfonietta. Worldwide, Andrés has conducted the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Perú, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia, Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá, Orquesta Filarmónica de Medellín, Orquesta Sinfónica de EAFIT, and Camerata Mazatlán. He has also appeared at the Cabrillo, Grant Park, OK Mozart, Oregon Bach, Round Top, and Texas Music festivals.

Andrés served as Music Director of Tulsa’s Signature Symphony and Resident Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony from 2015 to 2020. Previously, he served as Resident Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony (2008-2014) and Music Director of the Philharmonia of Kansas City (2004-2009). 

Andrés is the inaugural Executive Director of DNAWORKS, an organization dedicated to catalyzing dialogue and healing through the arts. From 2020 to 2023, he served as Executive Director of City of Asylum. Andrés currently serves on the board of directors of the International Free Expression Project and Wesley Family Services, and the WQED Community Advisory Board.

Born into a musical family, Andrés Franco began piano studies with his father, Jorge Franco. He studied with Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Jose Feghali and attended piano workshops with Rudolph Buchbinder and Lev Naumov. Andrés studied conducting with Marin Alsop, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Helmut Rilling, Gerard Schwarz, Leonard Slatkin, Gustav Meier, and Kurt Masur.

Andrés Franco holds a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia. He also has Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance and Conducting from Texas Christian University. Andrés is married to Victoria Luperi, who is the associate principal clarinet and principal E-flat clarinet of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. 

When he is not managing organizations or conducting orchestras, Andrés enjoys reading, trying new coffee beans, and hiking with his wife.