Felix Carrasco
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Mexican conductor Felix Carrasco has conducted more than sixty orchestras in different parts of the world with great success.
Among the countries whose main orchestras he has guest conducted are: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, and The Czech Republic, in Europe. In Africa and Asia: Cyprus, Egypt, and Turkey. In the Americas: Canada, Colombia, Cuba, the United States, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.
He has been the Artistic Director of several Austrian and Mexican orchestras, such as: The First Austrian Women's Chamber Orchestra (1982-1983), The Pro-Arte Orchestra Vienna (1983-1985), The Queretaro Chamber Orchestra (1986-1988), The Orchestra of the Manuel M. Ponce Cultural Society (1987). Additionally he was the Assistant Artistic Director of the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra from 1986 to 1990.
In 1991 he was named Artistic Director of the Monterrey Symphony Orchestra and in 1997 he founded the Monterrey Chamber Orchestra, also as Artistic Director.
As a permanent guest conductor, Felix Carrasco performs frequently with the Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra in Poland, the Zürich Symphony Orchestra, the El Cairo Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra from Santo Domingo.
In 1995 he was awarded the University of Nuevo León's Arts Prize for his accomplishments with the Monterrey Symphony, and in 1997 the State of Nuevo León awarded him with the Medal of Civic Achievement for his contribution to the cultural development of the State.
In November 2002, Carrasco was also awarded by the Austrian Embassy in Mexico, the Domecq Cultural Institute, the National Council for the Culture and Arts, and the National Institute of Fine Arts with the Mozart's Gold Medal which has been granted to the most distinguished figures of classical music in Mexico.
As an educator, he has served as Professor on the faculties of three Mexican Universities: The Universities of Nuevo León, Coahuila, and the National University in Mexico City.
Felix Carrasco graduated with First Honours from Vienna's famous Hochschule für Musik (College of Music) where he studied with Karl Österreicher (conducting), Thomas Christian David (composition), Harald Goertz (opera conducting), and Guenther Theuring (choral conducting).