John Mario
Music Director & Conductor
John Mario’s triumphant position as music director of the Temecula Valley Symphony is defined by not only the breadth of the audience reached, but also by his ability to be at home in all styles of music while making it accessible to all.
Programs at the Temecula Valley Symphony continue to offer the boldest and most universal variety of exciting music.
“What maestro John Mario has done is to, literally, transform the opera’s orchestra to such a high level of playing that it’s hard to imagine these already fine musicians could sound even better …. He “breathes” with his singers, giving them room for ample interpretive moments and deep artistic liberty with Verdi’s riveting music.”
Tony Vilecco
Broome Arts Mirror
John Mario, has been noted for his exemplary affinity for accompaniment of singers throughout the Classical and Pop world. His exciting 2012-2014 conducting schedule as principal tour conductor for Jackie Evancho’s Dream With Me and Songs of the Silver Screen tours, included appearances with the Atlanta Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Stockton Symphony, Dallas Pops, Baltimore Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Long Beach Symphony, Thousand Oaks Symphony, Parma Recording Symphony, Chautaqua Symphony, Marin County Symphony, San Bernardino Symphony, Tacoma Symphony and also notably his Chicago Symphony Center debut.
John Mario is also a veteran opera conductor serving three seasons as Music Director of the legendary Tri Cities Opera of Binghamton, NY, former training grounds for opera stars such as Richard Leech and Placido Domingo, and also the oldest Resident Artist Training Program in the USA. Besides conducting three opera productions a year, his duties encompassed Resident Artist Training Program classes, workshops, and hosting the local NPR radio show Operalogues. SUNY Binghamton also appointed John Mario as a full-time Visiting Professor of Music for the Masters of Music in Opera program. He is the former Artistic Director of Long Island Opera, where he led LIO’s first production of its renaissance–La Traviata in June 2010. From the pit over the past decades, he has led dozens of productions as guest conductor in companies across the US, including Sarasota Opera, Toledo Opera, Syracuse Opera, and Opera Southwest.
In addition to his conducting duties, John Mario performs in recital and is a leading coach of the Italian Opera repertoire in his New York City studio, preparing internationally-acclaimed singers for their roles on the stages of the world. He has accompanied world-renowned conductors and singers in opera rehearsal and has played in master classes for singing legends Licia Albanese and Renata Scotto. He has served as a judge for several major vocal competitions, including the Liederkranz International Opera Competition of NYC, The Metropolitan International Opera Festival Competition of NYC, and the Belvedere International Opera Competition of Vienna. In 2012, John served as Italian Language Coach for New York City Opera’s production of Mose’ in Egitto.
Coachella Valley Symphony (Palm Springs) has just announced that John Mario steps up to the Podium as its New Music Director & Conductor elect for the 2015-2016 season! John has also joined the faculty of training as an opera coach for Opera Works of Los Angeles a training program for Opera Singers renowned for its unique and transformative approach to performance.