This Just In: The following is a news release written by an arts organization, submitted to and edited by Chicago On the Aisle.

Lina Gonzalez-Granados has been named the fourth Sir Georg Solti Conducting Apprentice. As part of the conducting apprenticeship, beginning in February 2020 and continuing through June 2021, Gonzalez-Granados will spend several weeks each season studying with and assisting Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director Riccardo Muti during his residencies with the CSO.

Additionally, she will have engagements with the CSO’s education and community programs produced by the Negaunee Music Institute, including engagements with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Gonzalez-Granados currently holds conducting fellowships with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony, and she recently completed her term as a Taki Concordia Conducting Fellow under the guidance of Marin Alsop.

Gonzalez-Granados, a native of Colombia, was award the Solti apprenticeship by a jury chaired by Muti. The judges includes American soprano Carol Vaness, CSO concertmaster Robert Chen, CSO associate concertmaster Stephanie Jeong, CSO principal flute Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson, CSO associate principal horn Daniel Gingrich and CSOA vice president of artistic planning Cristina Rocca. The award is sponsored by the CSO’s Negaunee Music Institute.

Recent and future guest appearances for Gonzalez-Granados include the Tulsa Opera, where she made history as the first Latina conductor to lead a major production in a U.S. opera house, San Diego Symphony, Stamford Symphony, San Francisco Conservatory, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia, Filarmonica de Medellin and Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias in Spain.

She has been the assistant conductor for Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the United States, Youth Philharmonic Orchestra of Colombia, Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, has worked as cover conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia, Nashville Symphony and London Philharmonic,

The creation of the CSO International Sir Georg Solti Conducting Apprenticeship was announced by Muti in October 2009 as part of his larger vision for the CSOA when he became music director. This vision includes the opportunity to build on the CSO’s tradition of training young musicians through the creation of an apprenticeship that fosters the talents of promising young conductors and invests in the future of the art form.

The program is named for Sir Georg Solti, who served as music director of the CSO from 1969 to 1991, not only because of his deep connection with the CSO, but also in honor of his commitment to connecting with young musicians.