New Jersey Symphony Reveals Jessica Rivero Altarriba as its First Ever Colton Conducting Fellow

The New Jersey Symphony announced that Jessica Rivero Altarriba will become the New Jersey Symphony’s first-ever Colton Conducting Fellow for the 2023–24 season, after a national search and conductor audition.

The New Jersey Symphony Colton Conducting Fellowship is an excellence-based program designed to support early-career orchestral conductors representing populations that have been historically underrepresented on the podium. The fellowship is funded as part of a generous $1.5 million gift from Stewart and Judith Colton. This initiative continues the New Jersey Symphony’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, as an expansion of the existing Colton Fellowship for orchestral musicians. Altarriba will work closely with the Symphony’s internationally renowned Music Director Xian Zhang, the orchestra’s Artistic Advisory Committee and artistic staff.

Music Director Xian Zhang says, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with and mentor Jessica, and that the Colton Fellowship has provided us with this opportunity to further a young conductor’s career. I look forward to our season together, and to watching Jessica develop her talent in this role.”

Altarriba’s responsibilities include rehearsing and conducting select performances, serving as cover conductor for Classical subscription programs, and collaborating closely with other New Jersey Symphony artistic and education staff members.

As cover conductor, Altarriba will personally prepare all scores on each program and will be ready to step in to replace the scheduled conductor in case of illness or logistical issues. The role also includes conducting off-stage ensembles as required by repertory, serving as score reader for supertitles or other production needs, and listening to rehearsals and performances and consulting with the conductor on balance and other artistic elements.

To provide the most comprehensive experience possible, Altarriba will also work closely with the New Jersey Symphony’s Vice President of Artistic Planning, Erin Lunsford Norton. During the fellowship Altarriba will attend various concerts and community events representing the New Jersey Symphony, participate in planning meetings, media events, fundraising activities, educational and community engagement opportunities, administrative meetings and other activities.

About Jessica Rivero Altarriba

An emerging Latin American conductor, Jessica Rivero Altarriba stands out for her charisma and enthusiasm on the podium. Altarriba is particularly interested in composers of the Classical era as well as contemporary music. Hailing from Cuba, Altarriba appreciates the communal culture of music-making, and she believes that music has the ability to transform lives.

Altarriba is the first-ever Colton Conducting Fellow for the New Jersey Symphony in the 2023–24 season, and in this role will serve as cover conductor for subscription performances as well as conducting select performances. Other upcoming performances in the 2023–24 season include the National Orchestral Institute + Festival and the Chicago Sinfonietta.

In the United States, Altarriba has appeared on the podium with the Peabody Symphony Orchestra and has also worked with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Abroad, Altarriba has appeared as guest conductor with Lüneburg Symphoniker in Germany and has also worked with Málaga Camerata and Virtuós Mediterrani in Spain.

In her native Cuba, Altarriba served as Music Director of the Eastern Symphony Orchestra in Santiago de Cuba and has appeared as guest conductor with several orchestras and contemporary music ensembles across the country, including a collaboration with the composition department of the Arts University, in which she premiered several new works. In addition, Altarriba’s dedication to training younger musicians led to her appointment as the Music Director of Amadeo Roldán Conservatory and Esteban Salas Symphony Orchestra.

Altarriba’s presence in Cuban musical festivals in the last five years includes the Festival a Tempo con Caturla, Havana Jazz Plaza, Contemporary Music Festival, Festival Mozart Habana and Arts Festival, where she was awarded the first prize for young conductors.

Altarriba holds a bachelor's degree in conducting from the Arts University in Havana, Cuba. She is currently completing her master’s degree at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, under the mentorship of Marin Alsop. She is the recipient of the Excellence in Music Leadership Fellowship at Peabody Institute.

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