From a press release issued by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra on Thursday, June 17, 2010:
The Charlotte Symphony and its Music Director Designate, Christopher Warren-Green, announced today the appointment of Jacomo Rafael Bairos as Assistant Conductor. Bairos (pronounced BYE-ros) will join the Symphony conducting staff in mid September, beginning an initial two-year engagement as Assistant Conductor.

Born in Portugal and reared in Miami, Bairos began his career as a tubist, performing with many of world’s great orchestras. He started conducting while serving as Principal Tubist with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and has since gone on to study with such conductors as Larry Rachleff, Leon Fleisher, Marin Alsop, and Gustav Meier. In addition to the Singapore Symphony, Bairos has led orchestras in Iceland, Malaysia, and Portugal, as well as the Bangor Symphony Orchestra in Maine.
An advocate for music education, Bairos recently developed and conducted education concerts in Portugal and was named Music Director for the 2010 National Youth Orchestra Festival of Portugal. As Director of Orchestras for the Baltimore School for the Arts (BSFA), he works closely with the Baltimore Symphony’s “OrchKids,” BSFA “Twiggs,” and Peabody’s “Tuned In” programs, creating side-by-sides and education workshops for children in underserved urban communities. Please see his full biography below.
“A fine conductor and a passionate educator, Jacomo will be an outstanding addition to the Charlotte Symphony conducting staff,” said Christopher Warren-Green. “His accomplishments are many, and he is enthusiastic about community engagement, artistic collaboration, and the education of young people. I look forward to working together with him to bring the Symphony to a new level of artistic excellence and community service.”
Bairos was chosen from among 65 applicants for the position. In the upcoming season, he will lead Lollipops family concerts, education concerts for school children, and certain community and run-out concerts. He will also cover all Classics concerts, assuming the podium in the event that a scheduled conductor is unable to lead a concert.
More about Jacomo Rafael Bairos
Portuguese American Jacomo Rafael Bairos enjoys an international career as a conductor and educator. Recent performances, recordings, and reengagements include the Iceland Symphony Orchestra (ISO), Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO), and the National Orchestra of Porto Portugal (ONP) among others. In August of 2009, a CD for Albany Records with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra featuring concertos by North American Composers was released to critical acclaim (Fanfare Magazine). American engagements include performances with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra (2009-2010), as well as assistant-rehearsal conductor with the Baltimore Opera Company in 2008. A cover conductor for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra 2007-2010, he has conducted in rehearsals for Marin Alsop, and worked closely with many guest conductors. In his debut with the SSO, featuring Latin-Grammy winner Nestor Torres, the Singapore Straits Times announced “…the musicians and the audience…could feel Jacomo’s energy and enthusiasm for the music”. In concerts, as part of the MPO 10th Anniversary Subscription Celebrations, The Malaysian New Straits Times stated, “Through his expressive hands and passionate gestures….you can even feel his Latin vibe”.
Passionately dedicated to education, outreach, and community engagement, Jacomo recently developed and conducted 13 education concerts for 2300 kids across Portugal with the ONP. He has also been named Music Director for the 2010 National Youth Orchestra Festival of Portugal, to include a European tour in September. As Director of Orchestras for the Baltimore School for the Arts (BSFA), he works closely with the Baltimore Symphony’s “OrchKids,” BSFA “Twiggs,” and Peabody’s “Tuned In” programs, creating side-by-sides and education workshops for children in underserved urban communities. He also created programs for the SSO’s Education and Outreach department, taking music into the community from 2004-2007. Further 2010 concert highlights include the Peabody Conservatory Ensembles, Baltimore All-County Orchestras, Aspen Music Festival Orchestras, Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras, BSFA Orchestras, and workshops with the Buffalo Philharmonic and Omaha Symphony Orchestras.
As a conducting assistant for the Peabody Institute and for illustrious faculty member Leon Fleisher (2007-2009), he regularly prepared all orchestral and choir ensembles, as well as conducted numerous performances. As part of his dedication to new and contemporary music, he has conducted concerts for the SONAR contemporary ensemble and directed several new composition readings with the Peabody Symphony Orchestra. During his two-year tenure as Artistic Director, Conductor, and Host of the SSO Chamber Music Series (2005-2007), he was able to double attendance and create multiple partnerships with local arts organizations.
Discovered while attending the International Conductors Workshop 2007 with Maestro Larry Rachleff, Jacomo was subsequently invited by the eminent teacher Gustav Meier to be his student at the prestigious Peabody Conservatory. Recently invited to be a 2010 fellow with the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen, he was also semi-finalist (final 6) for the Eduardo Mata Conductors Competition (2009) and 8th place finisher for the Arturo Toscanini Conductors Competition. (2008)
As a tuba player, Jacomo has given master classes and performed in festivals in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, China, Singapore, and in the U.S. He has performed, toured, and recorded for Telarc with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony and Pops, and the Seattle Symphony and Opera. He has held principal positions with orchestras in America, Spain, Tenerife, China, and most recently held a principal post with the SSO. His primary mentor and conducting teacher is Gustav Meier. He also studied intensively with Marin Alsop, Leon Fleisher, Jorma Punula, Edward Polochick, Markand Thakar, and Larry Rachleff.