Conductor and violinist Alejandro Gómez Guillén approaches music as a space for discovery, collaboration, and storytelling. As Director of Orchestras at Arizona State University—home to one of the nation’s leading orchestral programs and the largest public university in the United States—he guides a vibrant community of emerging artists and educators. Alejandro also serves as Music Director of Sphere Ensemble, a string collective known for its adventurous programming and genre-crossing commissions, including a recent world premiere by GRAMMY-nominated composer Carter Pann.

Previously, Alejandro spent two seasons as Assistant Conductor of the Omaha Symphony, participating in the Grammy-nominated premiere of Andy Akiho’s Sculptures, and seven seasons as Artistic Director of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, where he conducted the Indiana premiere of Florence Price’s Fourth Symphony and the world premiere of Mickey Tucker’s Spiritual Collage. During his tenure as Associate Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony, he led community, pops, educational, and bilingual programs, collaborating with artists such as Time for Three and mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte.

As a guest conductor, Alejandro has worked with orchestras across the U.S. and abroad, with upcoming engagements including the Orlando Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, West Texas Symphony, Tulsa’s Signature Symphony, and Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá. Highlights include performances at the Oregon Bach Festival, in works like the B Minor Mass and St. John Passion, and collaborations with renowned conductors such as Ankush Kumar Bahl, Tito Muñóz, Eric Jacobsen, Robert Spano, and Ruth Reinhardt.

Alejandro combines artistry with education, having led the Omaha Symphony’s acclaimed community and education programs, reaching 25,000 students annually. He was previously Assistant Professor of Music at Colorado Mesa University, where he taught violin, viola, and conducting while leading the university’s orchestras. Additional roles include Music Director of the Colorado Youth Philharmonia, conducting youth and collegiate orchestras, and leading historical performance projects as a violinist and conductor.

As a violinist, Alejandro has served as concertmaster with the Grand Junction Symphony and Junges Stuttgarter Bach Ensemble, performing across Europe at venues like the Rheingau Music Festival and Berlin Philharmonie. He was a returning member of the Oregon Bach Festival’s Berwick Academy for Historical Performance and plays in Duo Anthracite and Chaski Quartet with his wife, Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Cranor.

Born in Colombia and a proud U.S. citizen, Alejandro holds a Bachelor’s degree in violin performance from Texas Christian University and Master’s and Doctoral degrees in conducting and violin from the University of Colorado at Boulder. His research includes a critical edition of Jorge Pinzón’s violin concerto and a guide to using Bach’s orchestral dances for modern developing orchestras. His mentors include Gary Lewis, Helmuth Rilling, Mei-Ann Chen, and Matthew Halls.

When away from the stage, Alejandro can be found trail running, singing, or reveling in a Bach fugue—often with his family and a soundtrack by Ella, Nils Frahm, or Punch Brothers.

Hayoung Jeong is a Korean-born conductor and cellist currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting at Arizona State University, studying with Dr. Alejandro Gomez Guillén. She earned her Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from California State University, Long Beach, where she actively collaborated with symphony and opera ensembles, including a production of The Magic Flute. She also gained operatic experience with Music on Site in Wichita, Kansas, conducting Notes on Viardot. Her work spans both orchestral and vocal repertoire, and she has received top prizes in international competitions including the Global Young Musicians and Gabriel Fauré Music World competitions.

Lauren Burchell is a Mexican-American conductor and double bassist currently pursuing her Master’s in Orchestral Conducting at Arizona State University under the direction of Dr. Alejandro Gómez Guillén and Catalin Rotaru. She previously studied at Arizona State University for her undergraduate degrees in both American History and Music. Her mentors include Julie Desbordes, Philip Greenberg, and Desmond Siu.

At present, she is the Artistic Director of the People’s Community Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble committed to providing accessible educational and pre-professional opportunities for musicians of diverse ages and backgrounds. She looks forward to developing her artistry and collaborating with the excellent musicians of the ASU Symphony Orchestra. 

Conductor Serena Fornay strives to share the inspiration and humanity that stems from live, symphonic music with all audiences. Serena is honored to be pursuing a Masters Degree in Conducting Performance at Arizona State University under the instruction of Dr. Alejandro Gomez Guillén. She has participated in various conducting workshops and competitions, and is currently the Assistant Conductor for Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestras. Serena is a proud Arizona native and ASU alum.