Enrico López-Yañez

Principal Conductor, Dallas Symphony Presents

Nancy A. Nasher & David J. Haemisegger Chair

Enrico Lopez-Yañez is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Detroit, Nashville, and Pacific Symphonies as well as the Principal Conductor of the Dallas Symphony Presents and Principal Guest Conductor for Pops of the Indianapolis Symphony. Lopez-Yañez has quickly established himself as one of the Nation’s leading conductors of popular music and become known for his unique style of audience engagement. Also an active composer/arranger, he has been commissioned by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Houston Symphony, San Diego Symphony and Omaha Symphony, and has had his works performed by orchestras including the Atlanta Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, National Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and Utah Symphony among others.

Lopez-Yañez has conducted concerts with a broad spectrum of artists including: Nas, Patti LaBelle, Itzhak Perlman, Trisha Yearwood, Kenny Loggins, Stewart Copeland, Kelsea Ballerini, Leslie Odom Jr., Renee Elise Goldsberry, Portugal The Man, Ben Rector, Cody Fry, Hanson, The Beach Boys, Kenny G and more. Each year Lopez-Yañez conducts the annual Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th fireworks show which is televised annually on CMT reaching millions of viewers across the nation.

This season Lopez-Yañez will collaborate with artists including Dolly Parton, Bernadette Peters, Lyle Lovett, War & Treaty, Ben Folds, Indigo Girls, Joss Stone, Girl Named Tom, Lettuce, and Tower of Power. He will appear with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony, Toronto Symphony as well as make return appearances with the Baltimore Symphony, Houston Symphony, National Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Utah Symphony and more. Previously, Lopez-Yañez has appeared with orchestras throughout North America including the Cincinnati Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, and the San Francisco Symphony among others.

Lopez-Yañez was the recipient of the 2023 “Mexicanos Distinguidos” Award by the Mexican government, an award granted to Mexican citizens living abroad for outstanding career accomplishments in their field. As an advocate for Latin music, he has arranged and produced shows for Latin Fire, Mariachi Los Camperos, The Three Mexican Tenors, and collaborated with artists including Aida Cuevas, Arturo Sandoval and Lila Downs.

As Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Symphonica Productions, LLC, Lopez-Yañez curates and leads programs designed to cultivate new audiences. Symphonica’s show offerings range from Pops shows to Family and Education productions which have been described as “incredibly special – and something that needs to become the new norm” (Lima Symphony). Symphonica’s productions have been performed by major orchestra across North America including the Baltimore Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Tucson Symphony and many more.

Como productor, compositor y arreglista, el trabajo de López-Yañez puede escucharse en numerosos álbumes, entre ellos el álbum benéfico de la UNESCO Action Moves People United y álbumes de música infantil, como The Spaceship that Fell in My Backyard, ganador del concurso de composición John Lennon Songwriting Contest, de los Hollywood Music and Media Awards, de los Family Choice Awards y de Kokowanda Bay, ganador de un Global Media Award, así como de un Parents' Choice Award en el que López-Yañez fue elogiado por sus "pegadizos arreglos" (Parents' Choice Foundation).